Effect of titanium incorporation on the structural, mechanical and biocompatible properties of DLC thin films prepared by reactive-biased target ion beam deposition method

• Published in: Applied surface science Vol. 257; no. 1; pp. 143 - 150
• Main Authors: Bharathy, P. Vijai, Nataraj, D., Chu, Paul K., Wang, Huaiyu, Yang, Q., Kiran, M.S.R.N., Silvestre-Albero, J., Mangalaraj, D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15.10.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Amorphous diamond like carbon thin film; Biocompatibility; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Deposition; Diamond like carbon; Diamond-like carbon films; Exact sciences and technology; Ion and electron beam-assisted deposition; ion plating; Materials science; Mechanical and acoustical properties; Mechanical properties; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; Nanocrystals; Nanostructure; Physical properties of thin films, nonelectronic; Physics; Reactive-biased target ion beam deposition; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Surgical implants; Thin film structure and morphology; Titanium; Titanium carbide; Titanium; Reactive-biased target ion beam deposition; Mechanical properties; Biocompatibility; Amorphous diamond like carbon thin film; Raman spectra; Oxygen; Diamonds; Diamond-like carbon; Amorphous state; Hardness; Carbon; Indentation; Titanium additions; Ion beams; Thin films; Transmission electron microscopy; Bias voltage; Transition elements; Absorption spectra; Microstructure; Nanocrystal; X-ray photoelectron spectra
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2010.06.052
• ISSN: 0169-4332

Amorphous diamond like carbon (DLC) and titanium incorporated diamond like carbon (Ti-DLC) thin films were deposited by using reactive-biased target ion beam deposition method. The effects of Ti incorporation and target bias voltage on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the as-deposited films were investigated by means of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and nano-indentation. It was found that the Ti content in Ti-DLC films gets increased with increasing target bias voltage. At about 4.2 at.% of Ti, uniform sized well dispersed nanocrystals were seen in the DLC matrix. Using FFT analysis, a facility available in the TEM, it was found that the nanocrystals are in cubic TiC phase. Though at the core, the incorporated Ti atoms react with carbon to form cubic TiC; most of the surface exposed Ti atoms were found to react with the atmospheric oxygen to form weakly bonded Ti–O. The presence of TiC nanocrystals greatly modified the sp 3/sp 2 hybridized bonding ratio and is reflected in mechanical hardness of Ti-DLC films. These films were then tested for their biocompatibility by an in vitro cell culturing test. Morphological observation and the cell proliferation test have demonstrated that the human osteoblast cells well attach and proliferate on the surface of Ti incorporated DLC films, suggesting possible applications in bone related implant coatings.