Nitrided

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The technique of incorporating nitrogen into a metal's surface to improve its hardness and durability is known as surface treatment
2. This method enhances a metal's properties by saturating it with nitrogen, resulting in increased strength and resistance to wear
3. A process involving the infusion of nitrogen into a metal, which enhances its hardness and longevity while also improving its overall resistance to wear and corrosion

Etymology: "Nitrided" is simply the past tense and past participle of "nitride," used as a verb meaning to treat a metal by heating it in a nitrogen-rich atmosphere so that nitrogen diffuses into its surface. The word is built from "nitride," itself formed from "nitr-," the combining form of "nitrogen," plus the chemical suffix "-ide," which marks a compound of two elements, and then the verb ending "-ed." The technique takes its name from the nitrogen compounds it produces at the surface. Once nitrogen atoms enter the metal, they combine with its elements to form hard nitride layers, which is why the treatment makes steel and other alloys tougher and more wear-resistant without changing their core. The verb therefore describes both a process and the chemical result of that process.

Synonyms: hardened, treated, modified, enhanced