Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films have been extensively applied in industries owing to their excellent characteristics such as high hardness. In particular, there is a growing demand for their use as protective films for mechanical parts owing to their excellent wear resistance and low friction coefficient. DLC films have been deposited by various methods and many deviate from the DLC regions present in the ternary diagrams proposed for sp³ covalent carbon, sp² covalent carbon, and hydrogen. Consequently, redefining the DLC region on ternary diagrams using DLC coatings for mechanical and electrical components is urgently required. Therefore, we investigate the sp³ ratio, hydrogen content, and other properties of 74 types of amorphous carbon films and present the classification of amorphous carbon films, including DLC. We measured the sp³ ratios and hydrogen content using near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure and Rutherford backscattering-elastic recoil detection analysis under unified conditions. Amorphous carbon films were widely found with nonuniform distribution. The number of carbon atoms in the sp³ covalent carbon without bonding with hydrogen and the logarithm of the hydrogen content were inversely proportional. Further, we elucidated the DLC regions on the ternary diagram, classified the amorphous carbon films, and summarized the characteristics and applications of each type of DLC.

Hydrogenated amorphous carbon (a-C:H) films have optical and electrical properties that vary widely depending on deposition conditions; however, the electrical conduction mechanism, which is dependent on the film structure, has not yet been fully revealed. To understand the relationship between the film structure and electrical conduction mechanism, three types of a-C:H films were prepared and their film structures and electrical properties were evaluated. The sp²/(sp² + sp³) ratios were measured by a near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure technique. From the conductivity–temperature relationship, variable-range hopping (VRH) conduction was shown to be the dominant conduction mechanism at low temperatures, and the electrical conduction mechanism changed at a transition temperature from VRH conduction to thermally activated band conduction. On the basis of structural analyses, a model of the microstructure of a-C:H that consists of sp² and sp³-bonded carbon clusters, hydrogen atoms and dangling bonds was built. Furthermore, it is explained how several electrical conduction parameters are affected by the carrier transportation path among the clusters.

Polypropylene matrix carbon nanofiber composites were obtained by injection molding after kneading with a batch-type twin-screw kneader. The thermal conductivity of the composites in the thickness direction was evaluated, with particular focus on the effects of carbon nanofiber (CNF) content and filler orientation. The thermal conductivity of the composites increased with increasing CNF content, and was obtained as 3.46 W/(m·K) when the CNF content was 50% in weight fraction and the CNFs were highly oriented along the measuring direction of thermal conductivity. This value is approximately seventeenfold higher than that of neat polypropylene.

Amorphous boron carbon nitride (a-BCN) films exhibit excellent properties such as high hardness and high wear resistance. However, the correlation between the film structure and its mechanical properties is not fully understood. In this study, a-BCN films were prepared by an arc-sputtering hybrid process under various coating conditions, and the correlations between the film’s structure and mechanical properties were clarified. Glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy were used to analyze the structural properties and chemical composition. Nanoindentation and ball-on-disc tests were performed to evaluate the hardness and to estimate the friction coefficient and wear volume, respectively. The results indicated that the mechanical properties strongly depend on the carbon content in the film; it decreases significantly when the carbon content is <90%. On the other hand, by controlling the contents of boron and nitrogen to a very small amount (up to 2.5 at.%), it is possible to synthesize a film that has nearly the same hardness and friction coefficient as those of an amorphous carbon (a-C) film and better wear resistance than the a-C film.