Photochemical modification of DLC films with oxygen functionalities and their chemical structure control

The photoreaction of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films in the presence of hydrogen peroxide leads to the covalent modification of their surface through the introduction of oxygen-containing functional groups, as confirmed by X-ray photoelectron, infrared and Raman spectroscopies. The DLC films modified with oxygen moieties showed high hydrophilicity, evaluated by their contact angle with water, compared with a pristine DLC film, and good tribological properties from the initial stage in water. The chemical structure of oxygen-terminated DLC films was also controlled by reduction of the oxygen moieties using hydride agents.

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► We develop a simple method of fabricating O-terminated DLC films by photolysis of H2O2.
► The O-DLC films show high hydrophilicity and good tribological property in water.
► The exposure of O-DLC films to hydrides leads to control the surface chemical structure.