Mechanical Properties of Diamond, Diamond Films, Diamond-Like Carbon and Like-Diamond Materials

Abstract

A treatment of the mechanical properties of diamond requires, first and foremost, a definition of "diamond", along with an indication of what mechanical properties are relevant and significant in actual technical applications. Diamond film products are likely to develop along similar lines, particularly as it concerns the diamond-like carbon films (DLC) which in their properties critically depend on synthesis parameters, allowing customizing or tailoring of the product to the application. DLC properties are also influenced by and differentiated on the basis of their hydrogen content in hydrogenated films and their hydrogen and nitrogen content in amorphous – C:H:N films. A further problem in defining diamond's mechanical properties is that in most cases diamond is not available in a form required for conventional property testing, that is, as ribbon, plate or fiber. The industrial applications of diamond depend for more than 95% on the unique mechanical properties.