# US 9,040,141 B2 · Method for texturing DLC coatings, and textured DLC coatings thus obtained

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- Number: US 9,040,141 B2
- Document ID: US9040141B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/378,877
- Filed: 2010-06-09
- Published: 2012-07-19
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2009-07-17
- Assignees: Commissariat A L'energie Atomique Et Aux Energies Alternatives
- Applicants: Caroline Chouquet; Cédric Ducros; Jérôme Gavillet; Frédéric Sanchette
- Inventors: Caroline Chouquet; Cédric Ducros; Jérôme Gavillet; Frédéric Sanchette
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040141B2

## CPC

- C30B 33/12: in gas atmosphere or plasma
- B05D 1/265: {Extrusion coatings}
- C23C 16/26: Deposition of carbon only
- C23C 16/56: After-treatment
- B05D 1/202: {Langmuir Blodgett films (LB films)}
- B05D 1/32: using means for protecting parts of a surface not to be coated, e.g. using stencils, resists
- B05D 3/142: {Pretreatment}
- B05D 2350/33: Roughening
- B05D 2401/32: applied as powders
- Y10T 428/24: Structurally defined web or sheet [e.g., overall dimension, etc.]
- Y10T 428/24355: Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
- C30B: SINGLE-CRYSTAL GROWTH (by using ultra-high pressure, e.g. for the formation of diamonds, B01J3/06); UNIDIRECTIONAL SOLIDIFICATION OF EUTECTIC MATERIAL OR UNIDIRECTIONAL DEMIXING OF EUTECTOID MATERIAL; REFINING BY ZONE-MELTING OF MATERIAL (zone-refining of metals or alloys C22B); PRODUCTION OF A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (casting of metals, casting of other substances by the same processes or devices B22D; working of plastics B29; modifying the physical structure of metals or alloys C21D, C22F); SINGLE CRYSTALS OR HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE; AFTER-TREATMENT OF SINGLE CRYSTALS OR A HOMOGENEOUS POLYCRYSTALLINE MATERIAL WITH DEFINED STRUCTURE (for producing semiconductor devices or parts thereof H10); APPARATUS THEREFOR
- B05D: PROCESSES FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (conveying articles or workpieces through baths of liquid B65G, e.g. B65G49/02)
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

This method for texturing a DLC coating comprises depositing a single layer of balls or spheres on the free surface of the DLC coating; dry-etching the DLC coating using oxygen plasma; and lastly, cleaning the surface of said coating by eliminating the balls or spheres.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A machine wear or friction part having a DLC surface coating textured by a method comprising:
depositing a single layer of balls or spheres on the free surface of the DLC coating,
controlled etching of the balls or spheres, by selective chemistry,
dry-etching the DLC coating using oxygen plasma,
and lastly, cleaning said coating by removing the balls or spheres;
said DLC coating having cavities subsequent to texturing, whereof the volume V is given by the following relation:
V
=
(
3
-
π
2
)
⁢
r
2
⁢
d
an expression wherein:
r denotes the radius of a ball or sphere, and d is the depth of the cavity;
adding a lubricant within said cavities;
wherein a controlled etching of the balls or spheres is carried out using a SF6+CHF3 plasma; and
wherein the diameter of the balls or spheres is between 100 nanometers and 10 micrometers.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The machine wear or friction part having a textured DLC surface coating of claim 1, wherein the single layer of balls or spheres is deposited using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The machine wear or friction part having a textured DLC surface coating of claim 1, wherein the single layer of balls or spheres is deposited using dip-coating technology.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The machine wear or friction part having a textured DLC surface coating of claim 1, wherein the surface of the DLC coating is cleaned, after etching, by soaking in an ethanol bath to remove said balls or spheres.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The machine wear or friction part having a textured DLC surface coating of claim 4 wherein the ethanol bath is additionally subjected to ultrasonics.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The machine wear or friction part having a textured DLC surface coating of claim 1, wherein the balls or spheres are made of silica or polymers such as in particular Latex or polystyrene.