Abstract: Method of fabricating free-standing diamond films by depositing and adhering polycrystalline diamond by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (1-100 Torr, filament temperature equal to or greater than 1900.degree. C., substrate temperature of 650.degree.-950.degree. C.) onto a substrate meltable at a temperature slightly in excess of the deposition temperature; and (b) prior to cooling said polycrystalline diamond particles, increasing (50.degree.-300.degree. C.) the substrate temperature to melt at least a portion thereof while permitting such melt to emigrate from the diamond films.

Abstract: A superhard carbon composition, having a crystal structure cell consisting of (i) a unit cell of six carbon atoms with crystallographic hexagonal symmetry, (ii) all carbon atoms in flat three-fold coordinated configurations (sp.sup.2 bonding), and (iii) carbon atoms in layers of chains which zig-zag in a direction normal to the layers with each layer being rotated 60.degree. with respect to its adjacent layer. The composition has a density of about 3.2 g/cm.sup.3, a bulk modulus and a hardness exceeding diamond (bulk modulus is 6.9 Mbar), and a bonding length of 1.45-1.47 angstroms.

Abstract: An interposed layer of amorphous carbon promotes the adhesion between conductive substrates and electrochemically deposited polymers. Such a carbon layer may be deposited directly onto the conductive substrate by conventional methods such as, for example, chemical vapor deposition. The subsequently applied electrochemically deposited polymer adheres more tenaciously to the amorphous carbon coating than if it had been electrodeposited directly onto the conductive substrate.