Nitrox
Nitrox turns up in 2 fields: heat treating, maritime. Here is what it means to the people in each one.
Nitrox in heat treating
A surface treatment process combining nitrocarburizing with a post-oxidation step.
A surface hardening process that diffuses nitrogen and carbon into the steel, followed by an oxidation treatment. This combination creates a hard, wear-resistant compound layer on top of a diffusion zone, capped with a thin, black iron oxide layer. The resulting surface provides excellent corrosion resistance and a low coefficient of friction, often replacing hard chrome plating.
"We need to run these hydraulic cylinder rods through a nitrox cycle to hit the corrosion spec."
Nitrox in maritime
A breathing gas mixture with a higher oxygen concentration than normal air used in diving.
Nitrox is a blended breathing gas used by commercial and recreational divers, containing more than the 21 percent oxygen found in atmospheric air. The higher oxygen content reduces the nitrogen fraction, which allows divers to stay at depth longer without accumulating dangerous levels of nitrogen in their tissues. Using it requires specialized certification, dedicated cylinders, and oxygen-clean regulators to prevent combustion.
"The hull inspection will take two hours, so the dive team is running on Nitrox to maximize their bottom time."