Nitride coated piston ring

A method of forming a piston ring comprising:

• providing a piston ring body formed of a base metallic material and having an upper lateral side, a lower lateral side, an outer peripheral side, an inner peripheral side, and first and second corners where the upper and lower lateral sides terminate into the outer peripheral side;
• applying a masking agent to an entire exterior surface of the piston ring body;
• removing a portion of the masking agent from a first selective area on the exterior surface of the piston ring body along the upper lateral side and the lower lateral side of the piston ring body to expose the base metallic material;
• applying a nitride layer to the first selective area on the exterior surface of the piston ring body, wherein the remaining portion of the masking agent on the exterior surface of the piston ring body inhibits application of the nitride layer to areas on the exterior surface of the piston ring body other than the first selective area;
• removing the masking agent from a second selective area along the outer peripheral side and along the first and second corners of the piston ring body to expose the base metallic material;
• forming a recess in the outer peripheral side of the piston ring body;
• and
• forming a thermal spray coating within the recess in the outer peripheral side of the piston ring body.