Both gas nitriding and gas nitrocarburizing are thermochemical surface hardening methods which improve wear resistance, fatigue strength and surface hardness.

Gas nitrocarburizing serves primarily to improve the frictional properties of the material. This method of treatment is used particularly frequently in a wide variety of drive components and functional parts, which are exposed to high frictional wear. It is also used to improve fatigue resistance.

The advantages of the process are expressed in improved wear, scratch, and scuffing resistance. This is caused by the resulting compressive stress in the surface, which also has an improved fatigue strength result.

The treatment temperature is lower than during hardening, which results in a very small distortional change.