Figure 34.

DLC-coated artificial joints. (a) Talar and (b) tibial components of an ankle joint, both made from a nitrided AISI Z5 CNMD 21 steel and coated with DLC. Manufacturer: Matériels Implants du Limousin SA (M.I.L.SA.) [360]. Reprinted with permission of Elsevier. (c) Diamolith™ (DLC)-coated acetabular cup in a hip joint. Diamolith™ is deposited by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD). It is deposited by a vacuum-based process where precursor gases are introduced into the process chamber and are broken down within the ionized plasma into various species of carbon, hydrogen and other dopants that are subsequently condensed as a solid entity onto the substrate surface. Source: http://www.dpaonthenet.net/article/55077/Diamond-like-coatings-service-prolongs-tool-and-component-life.aspx.