Abstract: A shear valve for use in a high performance liquid chromatography system. The shear valve includes a first valve member having a plurality of first fluid-conveying features, and a second valve member having one or more second fluid-conveying features. The second valve member is movable, relative to the first valve member, between a plurality of discrete positions such that, in each of the discrete positions, at least one of the one or more second fluid-conveying features overlaps with multiple ones of the first fluid conveying features to provide for fluid communication therebetween. At least one of the first and second valve members is at least partially coated with a protective coating that includes an adhesion interlayer and a diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer. The DLC layer is deposited on the adhesion interlayer via filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) deposition.