Diamond-Like Carbon Coatings: From Deposition Science to Application

Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coatings occupy a distinctive position in modern surface engineering. By combining extreme hardness, low friction, high wear resistance, and broad chemical compatibility within a single thin film, DLC materials offer a compelling solution to some of the most demanding performance challenges in industry and biomedicine alike.Despite their proven potential, significant scientific and engineering challenges remain. Controlling film microstructure, residual stress, and interfacial adhesion — particularly across complex or irregular substrate geometries such as those produced by additive manufacturing — continues to be an active area of investigation. The relationship between deposition conditions and the resulting sp²/sp³ carbon bonding ratio, and how this governs real-world tribological and mechanical behaviour, is equally fertile ground for research.This Research Topic aims to bring together cutting-edge contributions spanning the full DLC value chain: from advances in deposition technologies — including filtered cathodic arc, plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition (PACVD), and magnetron sputtering — through to rigorous structural characterisation and quantitative performance evaluation in applied settings. We welcome original research and review articles addressing DLC coatings across sectors including precision machining, automotive engineering, aerospace, and biomedical applications. Topic editors: Jose L Endrino, Phitsanu Poolcharuansin Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/82233/diamond-like-carbon-coatings-from-deposition-science-to-application