Carbon-based coatings for the modern plastics industry

Molding tools industry is a dynamic sector of the worldwide economy. For that reason, its competitiveness is of utmost importance and requires further insight into the development of high value products and new markets. The latter has been pointed out, quite often, as a gateway to improve the sector's performance. Micromolding is, within this context, seen as an area of great potential. Nevertheless, when such a dimensional reduction is considered, the tools are also subjected to problems due to melt flow characteristics on micro-channels. In what concerns the melt flow/molding tool interface, it¿s worth referring the requirements for minimum adhesion to avoid compromising the flow front advancement or demolding operations. Molding tools have therefore strict requisites of high hardness, low friction coefficients and high thermal conductivity materials. In order to attain the above, the use of hard coatings, such as diamond, which display outstanding physical properties, is evaluated.