An electrochemical strategy to incorporate iron into diamond like carbon films with magnetic properties

Fe–DLC composite film was deposited by a facile electrochemical process via the electrolysis of analytically methanol and Iron (III) 2, 4-pentanedionate under atmospheric pressure. The relative atomic ratio of Fe/C was around 10%, and nano-crystalline iron particles were homogeneously dispersed into the amorphous cross-linked carbon matrix. After doping iron into DLC films, the sp3-hybridized carbon content in DLC composite films increased, and the carbon composite film exhibits a magnetic field up to 12KOe. Moreover, the deposition of Fe–DLC composite film in liquid-phase electrochemical deposition may be followed by an atmospheric pressure plasma deposition (APPD) process.