Development of highly conductive and corrosion-resistant Cr-Diamond-like carbon films

Abstract

Cr-diamond-like carbon (Cr-DLC) films were deposited using a hybrid method involving both physical vapor deposition and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. DLC sputtering was carried out using argon and acetylene gases. With an increase in the DC power, the Cr content increased from 14.7 to 29.7 at%. The Cr-C bond appeared when the Cr content was 17.6 at% or more. At a Cr content of 17.6 at%, the films showed an electrical conductivity of > 363 S/cm. The current density was 9.12 x 10-2 μA/cm2, and the corrosion potential was 0.240 V. Therefore, a Cr content of 17.6 at% was found to be optimum for the deposition of the Cr-DLC thin films. The Cr-DLC thin films developed in this study showed high conductivity and corrosion resistance, and hence, are suitable for applications in separators.