Copyright 2015 © NTTF Coatings GmbH | Imprint

Call us: +49 (0) 2224 96 888 1

or send a message

DLC

During the Plasma Coating Process, ions are accelerated onto a surface. Gases are ionised in this process, they achieve high emission rates and they add their own thermal energy.  The process is used in a vacuum chamber.  It creates a modified surface which can include biocompabillity as well as antibiofilm, hydrophilic and hydrophobic characteristics.

DLC is one coatings that is created by using a Plasma Process. DLC is an acronym for diamond-like carbon. DLC coatings can be deposited on nearly all metals, metal alloys, and also on nonmetals such as silicon, glass, ceramics, plastics, etc. DLC can be deposited at low (<200°C) substrate temperatures.

<< back

The Coating Process

Plasma coating small medical parts with FMC (Flexible Medical Carbon)

Plasma Coating

Plasma deposited coatings have many applications:

Wear resistance of precision parts

Coating of medical implants and surgical instruments with biocompatible carbon coatings

Deposition of diffusion proof carbon coatings on plastics

Attachment of therapeutic substances on carbon coated implant surfaces

Functional coatings in micro electronics applications

Our current plasma technologies include:

PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) processes

CVD (Chemical Vapour Deposition) processes

PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition) processes

Depending on the application, different formulations of DLC coatings are used.

Carbon comes in several allotropes, each of which has its own unique structure. Two of these allotropes, diamond (sp3) and graphite (sp2), are found in DLC.

Despite the name "diamond-like" DLC is in fact amorphous. DLC comes in 7 forms, of which "tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C)" is considered to be the "pure" form, since it consists only of sp3 bonded carbon atoms. The other 6 forms of DLC include mixtures of sp2 and sp3 carbon along with other elements (hydrogene, metalls). The coating is used in many commercial applications, such as machine tools, engine parts, medical implants, high-end watches and aerospace parts.

cardient® FMC is a range of coatings which are especially suitable for medical and biological applications (FMC stands for flexible medical coating). It is based on amorphous carbon with diamond like properties. It is particuarly applicable for polymers and flexible substrates.

cardient® FMC coated implants are particularly neutral when in contact with cells and microorganism. This means rapid population by cells and accelerated assimilation by surgically implanted devices or prostheses. At the same time due to the reduced interaction between the surface and biological molecules the adhesion is reduced. This is very useful in vascular, and related applications.

Medical implants are placed in the most challenging parts of the body.

Often the surfaces of these devices are critical. To enhance the devices we have developed a range of surface technologies to extend the life of the products and to ensure improved reliability and safety.

This often extends the range of applications and may also improves the physical appearance of the product. Our cardient® coatings improve the bio-compatibility of the product and have proven themselves in many applications.

It is possible to combine properties of various coatings to add additional properties such as excellent diffusion resistance.

FORMS OF DLC

CARDIENT® FMC

IMPLANTS