Dr. Eng. Marek Barlak (NCBJ) with his colleagues from Institute for Electronic Materials Technology have patented an innovative method of titanium nitride layer production on metallic bases. Aim of the project was to develop a method of production of titanium nitride layer of uniform phase composition, high durability and resistant to abrasive wear, while maintaining reasonably low friction coefficient and good adhesion to the base. An example practical use is production of bearings.

The method was described in a patent application „Sposób wytwarzania warstwy azotku tytanu na podłożu ze stopu Inconel 600” [Method of production of titanium nitride layer in a base made from alloy Inconel 600]. It is based on combining two techniques into one technological process: intensive plasma impulses and isothermal heating in nitrogen atmosphere. In the first stage the material is treated with impulses of hot plasma containing titanium (the working gas is nitrogen). This way the near-surface layer is implanted with titanium atoms. The second phase is final production and preservation of titanium nitride layer, shaping the material into desired properties. Particularly, the patent application shows, that the layer produced with this method is characterised with quite low, and most of all reasonably stable-in-time friction coefficient.