Doped Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) coated surfaces to reduce fouling from milk

Abstract

In the dairy industry, fouling of processing surfaces is a common and unresolved problem. Surface modification, for example through the application of a surface coating, can alter the surface properties of a material, and may be a potential way to reduce fouling. Typical dairy plant stainless steel surfaces were modified by the deposition of doped Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) films with varying concentration of doped elements. These modified surfaces were studied for their fouling behavior with milk at both laboratory and pilot scale. None of the doped DLC modified surfaces investigated in the study presented benefits in fouling reduction as compared to unmodified surface.