Glossary/Titanium Nitride
Titanium Nitride
Titanium nitride (TiN a.k.a. Tinite) is an extremely hard (~85 Rockwell C Hardness or ~2500 Vickers Hardness or 24.5 gigapascals), ceramic material, often used as a coating on titanium alloy, steel, carbide, and aluminum components to improve the substrate's surface properties.
A tinite coating of even as little as 2-3 microns thick has the effect of multiplying the resistance of the underlying metal against scratches, shocks, oxidation and even acids.
Tinite and its sister alloys can range in color from brown to black and even bluish-purple.