Wear-corrosion performance of Si-DLC coatings on Ti-6A1-4V substrate

Si-incorporated diamond-like carbon (Si-DLC) coatings ranging from 0 to 2 at % Si were deposited on Ti-alloy substrate by means of radio frequency plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition (r.f. PACVD) technique, using a mixture of benzene (C₆H₆) and silane (SiH₄) as the reaction gas. The synergy in wear and corrosion of Si-DLC coatings was investigated by tribological and electrochemical techniques. The electrolyte used in this test to simulate the corrosive environment of body fluid was a 0.89 wt % NaCl solution of pH 7.4 at 37°C. This study provides quantitative data for the assessment of the effect of Si incorporation on the synergistic effect between wear and corrosion in the simulated body fluid environment. In conclusion, tribological and electrochemical measurements showed that the Si-DLC films could improve wear-corrosion resistance in the simulated body fluid environment owing to the lower friction coefficient, corrosion rate, delamination area, and water uptake.