Process for deposition of amorphous carbon

Abstract

A method for increasing oil-out survivability in a mechanical system having a plurality of components each having a least one surface, includes placing at least one of the plurality of components into a vacuum chamber having at least one broad-beam ion gun; supplying an inert gas to the broad-beam ion gun; accelerating the ionized inert gas to high kinetic energy; cleaning the surface of the component with the ionized and accelerated inert gas; supplying a hydrocarbon gas having at least 25 wt % acetylene to the broad-beam ion gun; ionizing the hydrocarbon gas; accelerating the ionized hydrocarbon gas to high kinetic energy; and directing the ionized and accelerated hydrocarbon gas to the surface of the component at a temperature of about 300° F. or less to deposit a carbon-based coating thereon.

1 . A method for increasing oil-out survivability in a mechanical system having a plurality of components each having a least one surface, comprising the following steps:
 placing at least one of said plurality of components into a vacuum chamber having at least one broad-beam ion gun therein;   supplying an inert gas to said at least one broad-beam ion gun;   accelerating said ionized inert gas to high kinetic energy;   cleaning said at least one surface of said at least one of said plurality of components with said ionized and accelerated inert gas;   supplying a hydrocarbon gas having at least 25 wt % acetylene to said at least one broad-beam ion gun;   ionizing said hydrocarbon gas;   accelerating said ionized hydrocarbon gas to high kinetic energy; and   directing said ionized and accelerated hydrocarbon gas to said at least one surface of said at least one of said plurality of components at a temperature about 300° F. or less to deposit a carbon-based coating thereon.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said hydrocarbon gas has at least 50 wt % acetylene. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising depositing an intermediate, adherence-promoting layer onto said at least one surface of said at least one of said plurality of components prior to said deposit of said carbon-based coating. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said intermediate, adherence-promoting layer includes a transition metal selected from Periodic Table column IB, IIB, IIIB, VIIB or VIIIB. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the adherence-promoting intermediate coating layer includes non-stoichiometric silicon carbide. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the adherence-promoting intermediate coating layer includes silicon and nitrogen. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the adherence-promoting intermediate coating layer includes aluminum. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon-based coating has a coefficient of friction of less than about 0.5, an atomic hydrogen content of about 5% to about 25%, and an abrasive wear rate of 10-5 m3 m-1N-1 or less. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carbon-based coating has a hardness of about 10 giga Pascals or more. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one of said plurality of components is selected from the group consisting of iron, aluminum, alloys of the foregoing, and silicon.