Diamond, DLC and Ultra-Hard Coatings

Dear Colleagues,

Ultra-hard coatings constitute a remarkable technical surplus in many areas, with tribology being one of the most important. Concerns about sustainability have grown remarkably, as extreme phenomena are happening around the world. Ultra-hard coatings make it possible to contribute effectively to increased sustainability by creating products with better properties and longer lifespan characteristics without the need to use toxic substances or produce difficult-to-treat effluents. This contribution to sustainability is still felt through the reduction of friction between surfaces, which allows for remarkable energy savings. Processes such as PVD and CVD have allowed a remarkable evolution in this area. The research around this type of coatings has been remarkable, allowing us to adapt coatings to the specific needs of each application. In the last decades, it has become extremely easy to find products with multilayer coatings, or with a differentiated composition throughout their cross-section. Through copious advances due to intense research activity in this area, the performance of numerous products has been significantly improved.

This Special Issue aims to promote the dissemination of the latest advances in this field, namely the development of new coatings and new structures, the characterization of these coatings, the design of coatings for tailored applications, and the tribological characterization of ultra-hard coatings, among others.

Thus, the topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Diamond coating synthesis;
• DLC coating systhesis/deposition;
• Ultra-hard coating synthesis/deposition;
• Ultra-hard multilayered coatings;
• Nanostructured ultra-hard coatings;
• Coating synthesis and deposition optimization;
• Simulation applied to coatings characterization;
• CVD and PVD techniques for the synthesis and deposition of ultra-hard coatings;
• Characterization of ultra-hard coatings;
• Tribological characterization of ultra-hard coatings;
• Study of coatings adhesion to substrates;
• Residual stresses studies on ultra-hard coatings;
• Novel coating characterization techniques;
• Tailor-made ultra-hard coatings;
• Coatings for cutting tools;
• Study of friction in ultra-hard coatings;
• Lifespan study of ultra-hard coatings;
• Ultra-hard coating applications;
• Sustainability of ultra-hard coatings.

Prof. Dr. Francisco J. G. Silva
Guest Editor

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