Carbon Coatings Deposited on Prosthodontic Ni-Cr Alloy

The study discusses the results of investigations conducted on carbon coatings applied on a prosthodontic alloy Ni-Cr. Carbon coatings with the thickness of about 1000 nm were deposited by means of the RF PACVD method with a titanium interlayer applied by magnetron spray dispersion. The coatings underwent microscopic examinations, as well as structural tests with the use of Raman spectrometry, investigations of mechanical properties, adhesion and corrosion tests; also, the bacterial adhesion to the sample surface was determined. It can be inferred from the performed studies that the obtained carbon coatings exhibit mechanical properties which allow them to be used for prosthodontic elements. The coatings' adhesion to the metallic substrate made of Ni-Cr alloy equaled about 150 mN. The examined coatings clearly improve the corrosion resistance and reduce the number of bacteria adhering to the sample surfaces. Taking all this into account, it can be stated that carbon coatings can be potentially applied to protect metal prosthetic restorations.