US 12,221,685 B2
Diamond-like carbon materials and methods of making diamond-like carbon materials
David Andrew Sopchak, Oakland, CA (US)
Assigned to Coulombic, Inc., Oakland, CA (US)
Filed by Coulombic, Inc., Oakland, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 15, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/121,783.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/320,481, filed on Mar. 16, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0295792 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. C23C 14/06 (2006.01); C01B 32/25 (2017.01); C01B 32/26 (2017.01); C23C 14/34 (2006.01); C23C 14/35 (2006.01)
CPC C23C 14/0611 (2013.01) [C01B 32/25 (2017.08); C01B 32/26 (2017.08); C23C 14/3407 (2013.01); C23C 14/35 (2013.01)] 8 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A diamond-like carbon material having:
electrical conductivity such that graphed results of cyclic voltammetry using ruthenium hexaamine cation having a peak separation when extrapolated to a scan rate of zero that is below about 100 millivolts;
overpotential such that graphed results of cyclic voltammetry using hydroquinone having a peak separation when extrapolated to a scan rate of zero that is greater than about 500 millivolts; and
electrochemical robustness such that for evolution of chlorine in concentrated hydrochloric acid having a concentration of at least about 37%, the diamond-like carbon material is at least about 1000 times more durable than graphite.
 
5. A method of making diamond-like carbon material, the method comprising steps of:
placing a graphite target in a DC magnetron located in a vacuum chamber; and
sputtering DLC material from the target onto a substrate using a sputtering gas containing argon and dopant to create a sputtered diamond-like carbon material;
testing the electrical conductivity of the sputtered diamond-like carbon material by conducting cyclic voltammetry using ruthenium hexaamine cation, and the overpotential of the sputtered diamond-like material by conducting cyclic voltammetry using hydroquinone; and
selecting sputtered diamond-like carbon material having (1) electrical conductivity such cyclic voltammetry using ruthenium hexaamine cation displays a peak separation when extrapolated to a scan rate of zero that is below about 100 millivolts, (2) overpotential such that cyclic voltammetry using hydroquinone displays a peak separation when extrapolated to a scan rate of zero that is greater than about 500 millivolts, and (3) electrochemical robustness such that for evolution of chlorine in concentrated hydrochloric acid having a concentration of at least about 37%, it is at least about 1000 times more durable than graphite.