Investigation of the Corrosion Resistance of Gun Barrel Steels Coated with Diamond-Like Carbon Using Different Methods

Uğur Karahan; Gülenç Gülenç; Tolga Yılmaz; Harun Zengin

Investigation of the Corrosion Resistance of Gun Barrel Steels Coated with Diamond-Like Carbon Using Different Methods

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to compare the corrosion performance of hard chrome plating, which is widely used in gun barrels, and diamond like carbon (DLC) coatings, which have recently started to be used as one of the innovative methods and are coated as a single layer with different techniques, and the effect of method differences on the corrosion performances of DLC thin film coatings. For this purpose, samples with dimensions of 50*50*3 mm and 75*255*3 mm processed from AISI 4140 steel with a hardness of 28-32 HRC were plated with hard chrome by electrolytic method, DLC by physical vapor deposition technique and DLC by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique. First of all, the coating thicknesses of the coated samples were measured, then their adhesion and corrosion performances were examined. In light of the experiments performed, it was observed that all samples exhibited the desired adhesion performance, and that barrel steels coated with 1,4 µm thick DLC using the PECVD method provided as much corrosion resistance as 5 µm thick hard chrome plating. It was determined that gun barrel steels coated with 1,4 µm thick DLC using the PVD method exhibited lower corrosion performance compared to other samples.

Keywords

Hard chrome plating , PVD , PECVD , DLC , Corrosion

References

[1] S. Sopok, C. Rickard and S. Dunn, “Thermal–chemical–mechanical gun bore erosion of an advanced artillery system part one: theories and mechanisms,” Wear, vol. 258, no. 1-4, pp. 659-670, January 2005. doi: 10.1016/j.wear.2004.09.031
[2] B. Lawton, “Thermo-chemical erosion in gun barrels,” Wear, vol. 251, no. 1-12, pp. 827-838, October 2001. doi: 10.1016/S0043-1648(01)00738-4
[3] A. Şentürk, H. Işık and C. Evci, “Thermo-mechanically coupled thermal and stress analysis of interior ballistics problem,” International Journal of Thermal Sciences, vol. 104, pp. 39-53, June 2016. doi: 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2015.12.019
[4] J. L. McCrea, “Industrial implementation of nanostructured cobalt as an alternative to hard chrome,” Surface Engineering, vol. 26, no. 3, pp. 149-152, March 2010. doi: 10.1179/026708410X12459349720213
[5] Y. Z. Mandev, “Residual Stress-Adhesion Relationship in Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD) Deposited TiN, CrN, and DLC Films (Fiziksel Buhar Kaplama (PVD) ile Büyütülmüş TiN, CrN ve DLC Filmlerde Artık Gerilme-Adezyon İlişkisi),” Master Thesis, Erzurum Technical University, Erzurum, Türkiye, 2018.
[6] K. Kurucu, “Synthesis of Ti-DLC Coating Film and Investigation of its Tribological Properties (Ti-DLC Kaplama Film Sentezlenmesi ve Tribolojik Özelliklerinin Araştırılması),” Master Thesis, Atatürk University, Erzurum, Türkiye, 2013.
[7] D.Y. Wang, C. L. Chang and W. Y. Ho, “Characterization of hydrogen-free diamond-like carbon films deposited by pulsed plasma technology,” Thin Solid Films, vol. 355-356, pp. 246-251, November 1999. doi: 10.1016/S0040-6090(99)00513-1
[8] K. Holmberg and A. Matthews, Coatings Tribology – Properties, Mechanisms, Techniques and Applications in Surface Engineering, Second Edition. Elsevier Tribology and Interface Engineering Series vol. 56, 2009.
[9] Industrial Hard Carbon, “What are Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coatings?,” industrialhardcarbon.com [Online]. Available: https://industialhardcarbon.com/what-is-dlc/. [Accessed: November 13, 2025].
[10] D. Y. Wang, “What is DLC (Diamond-Like Carbon)?,” auroraascicorp.com, March 24, 2021 [Online]. Available: https://aurorascicorp.com/what-is-dlc-diamond-like-coating/. [Accessed: November 13, 2025].

[11] H. Kim, D. Jung, B. Park, K. Yoo, J. Lee and J. Joo, “The effect of the substrate bias voltage and the deposition pressure on the properties of diamond like carbon produced by inductively coupled plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition,” Surface and Coatings Technology, vol. 193, no. 1-3, pp. 255-258, April 2005. doi: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2004.07.027
[12] B. Bhushan and K. B. Gupta, Handbook of Tribology: materials, coatings and surface treatments. Michigan: McGraw-Hill, 1991.
[13] T. Michler, M. Grischke, I. Traus, K. Bewilogua, K. and H. Dimigen, “Mechanical properties of DLC films prepared by bipolar pulsed DC PACVD,” Diamond and Related Materials, vol. 7, no. 9, pp. 1333-1337, September 1998. doi: 10.1016/S0925-9635(98)00203-9
[14] M. Schenkel, D. Martinez-Martinez, Y. T. Pei, and J. Th. M. De Hosson, “Tribological Performance of DLC Films Deposited on ACM Rubber by PACVD,” Surface and Coatings Technology, vol. 205, no. 20, pp. 4838-4843, July 2011. doi: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2011.04.072
[15] R. F. Bunshah, Ed., Handbook of Hard Coatings: Deposition Technologies, Properties and Applications. New Jersey: Noyes Publications, New York: William Andrew Publishing, 2001. (Editor)
[16] S. Türe, “Investigation of the Variation in DLC Coating Quality Based on Bias Values for 4 Different Materials with Different Alloy Ratios (Farklı Alaşım Oranlarına Sahip 4 Farklı Malzeme için DLC Kaplama Kalitesinin Bias Değerlerine Göre Değişiminin İncelenmesi),” Master Thesis, Uludağ University, Bursa, Türkiye, 2020.
[17] Q. Y. Deng, C. M. Wang, T. F. Zhang, W. Yang, X. Li, N. Huang and Y. X. Leng, “Regulating the Uniformity of DLC Films in ECR Plasma with Negative Substrate Biasing,” Surface & Coatings Technology, vol. 365, pp. 15-23, May 2019. doi: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2018.06.042
[18] S. Chowdhury, M. Laugier and I. Rahman, “Characterization of DLC Coatings Deposited by RF Magnetron Sputtering,” Journal of Materials Processing Technology, vol. 153-154, pp. 804-810, November 2004. doi: 10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2004.04.265
[19] H. S. Myung, Y. S. Park, M. J. Jung, B. Hong and J. G. Han, “Synthesis and Mechanical Properties of Amorphous Carbon Films by Closed-Field Unbalanced Magnetron Sputtering,” Materials Letters, vol. 58, no. 9, pp. 1513-1516, March 2004. doi: 10.1016/j.matlet.2003.10.021
[20] T. Mikami, H. Nakazawa, M. Kudo and M. Mashita, “Effects of Hydrogen on Film Properties of Diamond-Like Carbon Films Prepared by Reactive Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering Using Hydrogen Gas,” Thin Solid Films, vol. 488, no. 1-2, pp. 87-92, September 2005. doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2005.04.064
[21] C. Doğan Çalışkan, “Investigation of the Effect of DLC Coating on the Corrosion Behavior of Brackets and Arch Wires (Braket ve Ark Tellerinin Korozyon Davranışı Üzerine DLC Kaplamanın Etkisinin İncelenmesi),” Master Thesis, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Türkiye, 2023.
[22] M. Azzi, P. Amirault, M. Paquette, J. E. Klemberg-Sapieha, and L. Martinu, “Corrosion performance and mechanical stability of 316L/DLC coating system: Role of interlayers,” Surface & Coatings Technology, vol. 204, no. 24, pp. 3986-3994, September 2010. doi: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2010.05.004
[23] M. Cui, J. Pu, J. Liang, G. Zhang, L. Wang, and Q. Xue, “The corrosion behaviors of multilayer diamond-like carbon coatings: influence of deposition periods and corrosive medium,” RSC Advances, vol. 6, no. 34, pp. 28570-28578, March 2016. doi: 10.1039/C6RA05527C
[24] B. Han, M. Yan, D. Ju, M. Chai and S. Sato, “Chemical Composition and Corrosion Behavior of a-C:H/DLC Film-Coated Titanium Substrate in Simulated PEMFC Environment,” Coatings, vol. 11, no. 7, pp. 820, 2021. doi: 10.3390/coatings11070820
[25] L. L. Ferreira, P. A. Radi, A. S. Da Silva Sobrinho, L. Vieira, D. M. G. Leite, A. A. C. Recco, D. A. P. Reis and M. Massi, “SiOx Top Layer on DLC Films for Atomic Oxygen and Ozone Corrosion Protection in Aerospace Applications,” Materials Research, vol. 24, no. 3, January 2021. doi: 10.1590/1980-5373-mr-2020-0511
[26] E. L. Dalibon, L. Escalada, S. Simison, C. Forsich, D. Heim and S. P. Brühl, “Mechanical and corrosion behavior of thick and soft DLC coatings,” Surface & Coatings Technology, vol. 312, pp. 101-109, February 2017. doi: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2016.10.006
[27] Y. Huang, J. Li, X. Wang, X. Liu, H. Li, P. Ren and C. Sun, “Tribological Properties and Corrosion Resistance of Multilayer a-C:H:Ti Films at Different Target Currents,” Metals, vol. 13, no. 7, pp. 1274, July 2023. doi: 10.3390/met13071274
[28] N. Moolsradoo and S. Watanabe, “Influence of Elements on the Corrosion Resistance of DLC Films,” Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, vol. 2017, no. 1, June 2017. doi: 10.1155/2017/3571454
[29] M. Scendo and K. Staszewska-Samson, “Effect of Temperature on Anti-Corrosive Properties of Diamond-Like Carbon Coating on S355 Steel,” Materials, vol. 12, no. 10, pp. 1659, May 2019. doi: 10.3390/ma12101659
[30] S. Li, H. Li, P. Guo, X. Li, W. Yang, G. Ma, K. Nishimura, P. Ke and A. Wang, “Enhanced Long-Term Corrosion Resistance of 316L Stainless Steel by Multilayer Amorphous Carbon Coatings,” Materials, vol. 17, no. 9, pp. 2129, May 2024. doi: 10.3390/ma17092129
[31] Q. Zeng and Z. Ning, “High-temperature tribological properties of diamond-like carbon films: A review,” Advanced Materials Science, vol. 60, no. 1, pp. 276-292, April 2021. doi: 10.1515/rams-2021-0028
[32] N. Sharifi, H. Smith, D. C. Madden, T. Kehoe, G. Wu, L. Yang, R. J. L. Welbourn, E. G. Fernandez and S. M. Clarke, “Diamond-Like Carbon: A Surface for Extreme, High-Wear Environments,” Langmuir, vol. 40, no. 1, pp. 52-61, December 2023. doi: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c01438
[33] M. Cui, J. Pu, J. Liang, L. Wang, G. Zhang and Q. Xue, “Corrosion and Tribocorrosion Performance of Multilayer Diamond-like Carbon Film in NaCl Solution,” RSC Advances, vol. 5, no. 127, pp. 104829-104840, December 2015. doi: 10.1039/C5RA21207C
[34] R. Sharma, P. K. Barhai and N. Kumari, “Corrosion Resistant Behaviour of DLC Films,” Thin Solid Films, vol. 516, no. 16, pp. 5397-5403, June 2008. doi: 10.1016/j.tsf.2007.07.099
[35] N. W. Khun and E. Liu, “Corrosion Behavior of Aluminum Doped Diamond-like Carbon Thin Films in NaCl Aqueous Solution,” Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, vol. 10, no. 7, pp. 4767-4772, July 2010. doi: 10.1166/jnn.2010.1682
[36] R. Zhang, L. Wang and W. Shi, “Variable corrosion behavior of thick amorphous carbon coating in NaCl solution,” RSC Advances, vol. 5, no. 116, pp. 95750-95763, October 2015. doi:10.1039/C5RA18966G
[37] Oerlikon Balzers, “Carbon-based BALINIT coatings,” oerlikon.com. [Online]. Available: https://www.oerlikon.com/balzers/tr/tr/portfoy/balzers-yuezey-coezuemleri/pvd-ve-pacvd-esasli-kaplamalar/balinit/karbon-esasli/balinit-dlc/?tab=yueklemeler_12. [Accessed: November 13, 2025].

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Materials Engineering (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Uğur Karahan ^*
0000-0003-4156-792X
Türkiye

Gülenç Gülenç
0000-0001-8434-8183
Türkiye

Tolga Yılmaz
0000-0001-9351-5887
Türkiye

Harun Zengin
0009-0000-5710-495X
Türkiye

Publication Date

April 30, 2026

Submission Date

November 14, 2025

Acceptance Date

March 1, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 12 Number: 1

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA88ZD62NM

IEEE

[1]U. Karahan, G. Gülenç, T. Yılmaz, and H. Zengin, “Investigation of the Corrosion Resistance of Gun Barrel Steels Coated with Diamond-Like Carbon Using Different Methods”, GJES, vol. 12, no. 1, pp. 15–26, Apr. 2026, [Online]. Available: https://izlik.org/JA88ZD62NM

GJES is indexed and archived by:

33113 33114 33115 33116 33117

Gazi Journal of Engineering Sciences (GJES) publishes open access articles under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY)