Effects of ta-C Coatings on Surface Characteristics of Dental Ni-Ti Files

Dental Ni-Ti files must ensure stability and resistance to fatigue fracture. DLC and ta-C were coated to remove defects on the surface and ensure stability, and the surface characteristics were investigated. When coated with DLC, it was black, and in case of ta-C coating, it was blue-black. Scratches, which are defects caused by mechanical processing, were formed on the surface of the un-coated Ni-Ti file from the end of the file along the direction of processing, with the Profile appearing in the vertical direction and the K-file appearing in the file direction. Scratches were reduced on the coated surface, and the surface roughness was greatly reduced after coating compared to before coating. The un-coated Ni-Ti file had the lowest hardness, the DLC-coated file had the highest hardness, and ta-C showed relatively high hardness. The elastic modulus of the DLC coating film was high, and the ta-C elastic modulus was low. The adhesion of the DLC coating film tended to be higher than that of ta-C, and the wear loss amount of DLC coating of ta-C was lower. The corrosion potential of the ta-C coating increased significantly, and the corrosion current density decreased.