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Why is titanium nitride used as a coating on tools and decorative items?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
A periodic table element tile for titanium displays its atomic number 22, symbol Ti, atomic weight 47.867, electron configuration, and name. Icons indicate it is a solid, transition metal with a hexagonal crystal structure and equal relative strength.
titanium Properties of titanium.

Titanium nitride (TiN) is utilized as a coating for tools and decorative items due to its specific physical properties:

  • Tools: The compound is valued for its high hardness, which makes it an effective coating to extend the operational life of cutting tools.1
  • Decorative items: Titanium nitride possesses an attractive yellow color, which makes it a popular choice for coatings on jewelry and decorative glass.1

These applications are possible because titanium nitride is an interstitial compound that is exceptionally stable, hard, and refractory.2