(Physical Vapor Deposition)
"TECHNOGOLD" from ZRC utilises the PVD technique that consists in transferring the element to be deposited by changing it into steam via a physical process (evaporation or pulverization) and then condensing it onto the object to be coated.
Yellow titanium nitride coatings (TIN) are often applied in the field of decoration. The very hard resulting coating is then topped with a thin layer of gold to add shine and prestige to the object. This kind of coating is very difficult to scratch as well as being very wear-resistant. Furthermore, any small areas where the gold is worn off are unnoticeable due to the yellow colour of the titanium nitride.
The PVD process is performed in a vacuum in specially designed facilities. The titanium target (element source) is bombarded with ions of high-energy rare gas (argon). The bombardment causes the titanium atoms to be violently dispersed in all directions. They react with the nitrogen that has been introduced into the chamber to make titanium nitride, which then forms a deposit, in particular on the parts that require coating. When the desired thickness has been reached, no more nitrogen is added and the titanium target is replaced with a gold target. The bombardment process is started for a second time, this time in order to produce a layer of gold.
In this way, the coating builds up one atom at a time, giving a very high quality result with virtually no defects. The layers are certain to be firmly attached as a result of the energy contained in the atoms hitting the object. The ceramic nature of the titanium nitride added to the inalterable properties of the gold layer means that the coating is extremely resistant to corrosion.
This type of coating is four times as resistant to scratching as crude stainless steel. What is more, the ceramic nature of the coating makes it neutral and therefore 100% compatible with human skin, hence reducing the risk of allergies.