Direct coating of nanophase diamond films on steel substrate

Continuous, smooth and adherent nanocrystalline diamond films have been directly deposited on interlayer-free Fe-9Cr steel by alloying with a small fraction of Al and Si (2.2 wt% each). Even without surface pre-treatment, high nucleation density and rate of diamond films can be achieved from the steel substrate which result from the modified chemical nature of the steels.