Copper doped DLC Diamond Like Carbon Coating for Antibacterial Application

Copper doped DLC Diamond Like Carbon Coating for Antibacterial Application

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films are amorphous carbon coatings composed of a mixture of graphite-like (sp²) and diamond-like (sp³) carbon bonds, along with hydrogen. By controlling the ratio of these structural components, DLC films can exhibit a range of exceptional properties, including biocompatibility, chemical stability, wear resistance, and high hardness.

Doping DLC films with elements such as copper (Cu), silver (Ag), zinc (Zn), fluorine (F), and nitrogen (N) can introduce new functionalities specific to the dopant while maintaining the favorable base characteristics of DLC.

In recent years, growing awareness of microbial threats has driven increased demand for antimicrobial materials, especially in medical and residential environments .Copper ions, known for their strong microbicidal effect, are widely used in hygiene-related applications. However, copper surfaces are highly susceptible to oxidation, which diminishes their long-term antibacterial effectiveness. To address this, Cu has been embedded into chemically stable DLC matrices to produce Cu-containing DLC (Cu-DLC) films.

Cu-DLC exhibits notable antibacterial properties, regardless of their Cu content. Cu-DLC coatings might be playing a more important role  in the medical and healthcare sectors sooner than expected.