Humidity-Resistant Ultralow Friction in Diamond-Like Carbon Coatings Enabled by Graphitic Nanodiamonds

Our collaborative work “Humidity-Resistant Ultralow Friction in Diamond-Like Carbon Coatings Enabled by Graphitic Nanodiamonds” was recently published open access in Small Structures.

We demonstrate a scalable and robust approach using graphitic nanodiamonds (Gr-NDs) to achieve ultralow friction (<0.1) in hydrogenated diamond-like carbon (H-DLC) coatings — even in humid environments. Unlike conventional methods, Gr-NDs promote the formation of a durable graphitic transfer layer during operation, leading to superior lubrication and wear resistance without the need for controlled atmospheres or surface treatment.