Indah Uswatun Hasanah presented her dissertation research related to the use of Diamond-Like Carbon Layer and LPG Gas Rectant to improve the performance of microforming technology. Indah is a student at the Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Doctoral Programme, Faculty of Engineering, University of Indonesia (FTUI). Her dissertation entitled “Engineering Diamond-Like Carbon Layer by Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition Method as Microforming Dies Application” was presented at the FTUI Doctoral Promotion session held on Thursday (21/11).
Currently, microforming technology is widely used in industry, especially to produce micro-scale precision components in mass quantities. Compared to other manufacturing technologies, microforming has the advantage of being able to contribute greatly to reducing production costs. MEM (Micro Electromechanical System) is one of the miniaturised products resulting from microforming, examples of products that we often use such as IC leadframes, electronic equipment, sensors and hard disk drivers. According to MEM Pressure Sensor Technology and Market, the growth of MEM needs will continue to increase over the next five years. This proves that the human need for MEM devices is getting bigger.
In the manufacturing process, the friction factor between the surface of the workpiece and the mould plays an important role, because it will determine the amount of load and force required during pressing, equipment life, workpiece formability, and product quality. By paying attention to this, it is possible to improve the performance of microforming technology.
“Diamond and graphite are the most widely known allotropes of carbon. Diamon is nature’s hardest and most wear-resistant mineral. Graphite, on the other hand, has softer properties. Diamon-like carbon is a metastable amorphous carbon that has sp3 and sp2 hybridisation. Surface engineering is a method of material treatment through thick miniaturisation that will produce a thin film. Thin films offer several benefits, namely, increasing hardness, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, and coatings that aim to decorate a surface,” Indah explained in her presentation.
In her research, Indah Uswatun Hasanah engineered a diamond-like carbon layer on AISI D2 substrate using Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition method using Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) as a hydrocarbon gas source and varied the temperature and pressure parameters to control sp3/sp2. In addition, a double-layer coating architecture was chosen to improve the single-layer coating. Raman characterisation was performed to prove the formation of a diamond-like carbon layer and ID/IG (Intensity Graphitic/Intensity Disorder) ratio. The use of LPG gas reactant as a hydrocarbon gas source for coating successfully improved the mechanical properties and wear resistance of the AISI D2 substrate, which successfully increased the hardness value to 418.08 HV compared to the hardness value using C2H2 gas (388.58 HV).
“The development of Diamond-Like Carbon Layer using Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition Method is expected to improve the performance of micro forming technology well so that in the future it is expected to be developed further so that it can be applied in the world of manufacturing industry,” said Dean of FTUI, Prof. Dr. Heri Hermansyah, ST., M.Eng., IPU regarding this research.
Indah Uswatun Hasanah earned her doctorate with a GPA of 3.9 and a Very Satisfactory predicate at this doctoral promotion session. She is the 66th doctor to graduate from the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering and the 520th doctor at FTUI. The Doctoral Promotion Session was chaired by the Chairman of the Session, Prof. Dr. Ir. Yanuar, M.Eng., M.Sc., with Promoter Prof. Dr. Ir. Dedi Priadi, DEA and Co-Promoter, Dr. Ir. Donanta Dhaneswara, M.Si., the Examination Team consisted of Prof. Dr. Ir. Myrna Arianti Mochtar, M.S., Prof. Dr. Eng., Prof. Dr. Eng. A. Ali Alhamidi, ST., Mt., Prof. Dr. Ir. Bambang Suharno, Dr. Ir. Jaka Fajar Fatriansyah, M.Eng, IPM., Ir. Rachmat Saptono, M.Sc., PhD.Tech.
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