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The anticipated return to the Moon will require high bandwidth communications support for both manned and unmanned operations.

During Electrosurgery, Radio Frequency (RF) electrical power is applied to a cutting surface which cauterizes the incision. The desiccation of surrounding tissue results in hemostasis and surgery without bleeding. In the case of localized heavy bleeding, a coagulation process is employed using modulated RF power. However, substantial amounts of desiccated tissue may stick to the blade, undoing the achieved hemostasis, and possibly worsening the situation. To prevent this, various electrosurgical blade coatings have been developed to both permit the flow of RF power through the coating, and prevent desiccated tissue from sticking to it.PolyTetraFluoroEthylene (PTFE) is a commonly used electro- surgical blade coating that undergoes substantial surface morphology changes during use, eventually leading to failure. Highly conductive Diamond-Like Nanocomposite (DLN) electrosurgical coatings have been developed with the requisite non-stick characteristics and enhanced durability.After a brief review of electrosurgical fundamentals, the underlying mechanisms of operation of these two coating materials are compared. In the case of PTFE, establishment and evolution of porosity in the coating is essential to the flow of RF power, yet ultimately leads to long term degradation. Alternate conduction mechanisms for DLN coatings are considered.

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