Effect of Si Addition on the Corrosion Resistance of Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) Films

Si incorporated diamond-like carbon (Si-DLC) films ranging from 0 to 2 at.% contents were deposited on STS 316L substrates for orthopedic implants by means of r.f. plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition (r.f. PACVD) technique, using mixtures of benzene ($C_6H_6$) and silane ($SiH_4$) as the precursor gases. This study provides the reliable and quantitative data for assessment of the effect of Si incorporation on corrosion property in the simulated body fluid environment through the electrochemical test. It was found that corrosion to resistance of Si-DLC coatings with increasing Si content are improved owing to high $sp^3$ bonding.