TiN (titanium nitride) films were prepared using the RF magnetron sputtering technique. The films were deposited by pure N2 plasma sputtering. Their mechanical properties, such as nano-indentation hardness, friction coefficient, and surface wettability, have been investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies revealed that the orientation of TiNX films changed towards the (111) orientation with decreasing working pressure due to a strong compressive stress during deposition. The strongest TiN (111) orientation was found when the film was deposited at a working pressure of 1 Pa. This film showed the largest hardness (16 GPa) and smallest friction coefficient (0.17) among the studied samples. Moreover, this film was found to be accompanied by a water-repellent surface with water contact angle more than 100°.
