Droplet-free TiC nanocrystal-containing diamond-like carbon coatings deposited by combined cathodic arc MF magnetron sputtering

Droplet-free TiC-containing diamond-like carbon (DLC) nanocomposite coatings were deposited by using a combined cathodic arc middle-frequency magnetron sputtering system using C2H2 as working gas. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy showed that with increasing flow rate of C2H2, the structure of nanocomposite coatings changed from TiC nanograin-containing to graphite nanograin-containing DLC. Wear experiment showed that the friction coefficient of TiC–DLC nanocomposite coatings decreased with increasing C2H2. A low friction coefficient of 0.07 was obtained at 480 sccm C2H2.