Although titanium is generally recognized for its strength, light weight, and great resistance to corrosion, its other qualities and actual capabilities are less well understood.
The ‘new’ metal titanium was first identified in 1790 and began industrial production in 1948, after a protracted period of experimentation.
Titanium is an environmentally and human-friendly substance due to its abundant deposits and exceptional bio-friendliness. This material’s development and research have unlocked countless possibilities one after another.
Well, in this reading, we’ll explore what titanium is, its applications, prperties, compounds, alloys.
What Is Titanium?
Titanium is a white, hard, and shiny metal that was named after the Titans of Greek mythology. In general, air, water, acids, and bases have no effect on it, and it is extremely resistant to corrosion.
Titanium is the ninth most common element in the crust of the Earth. The Sun, Moon, and meteorites all have it. Astronomers use the spectra of titanium oxide to identify cool red dwarf stars.
Titanium is used in the manufacturing of chemicals and in situations requiring strong, lightweight alloys. 45% lighter than steel, titanium is just as strong.
Particularly in engines and other components of aircraft and spacecraft, its high melting temperature is advantageous in high-temperature applications where weight is crucial.
Titanium is favored for applications that are frequently exposed to the sea because of its resistance to corrosion from seawater. Titanium was used by the former Soviet Union to construct a number of their extremely powerful and costly submarine hulls.
Titanium dioxide is used as a yellow food additive and as a dye in some white paints. It is frequently found in sunscreen lotions and is also opaque to UV light.
Because of the colors it produces when burned, titanium is used in fireworks. The only element that can burn in an atmosphere of pure nitrogen is titanium.
Titanium Applications in Various Industries
Aerospace Structures
Titanium is used in aviation due to its corrosion resistance, high strength-to-weight ratio, and resistance to heat. The Ti-3Al-2.5V alloy, composed of 3% aluminum and 2.5% vanadium, is used in aerospace components like aircraft frames and landing gear.
The cladding of Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is an example of titanium alloy use.
Biomedical Applications
Titanium alloys are extensively used in manufacturing metal orthopedic joint replacements and bone plate surgeries.
Solid freeform fabrication (3D printing) allows for custom-designed biomedical implants.
Ti-6Al-4V / Ti-6Al-4V-ELI is a biocompatible alloy with good biocompatibility but suffers from poor shear strength and surface wear properties.Ti-6Al-7Nb is a biomedical replacement for Ti-6Al-4V due to its high strength and biocompatibility.
Automobile Industry
Titanium alloys are used in the automobile industry due to their outstanding characteristics.
Key applications include engine components, exhaust systems, suspension springs, and fasteners.
Titanium’s durability and corrosion resistance extend the lifespan of automotive parts, but its high cost and manufacturing complexity limit its use mostly to high-performance and luxury vehicles.
Properties
Because the beta-phase’s BCC structure has more slip planes than the hcp alpha-phase’s, beta-phase titanium is often more ductile whereas alpha-phase is stronger but less ductile.
The mechanical properties of alpha-beta-phase titanium fall somewhere in the middle. At high temperatures, titanium dioxide dissolves in the metal and forms with great energy.
Because of these two characteristics, all titanium aside from the most meticulously purified has a significant quantity of dissolved oxygen and may thus be classified as a Ti–O alloy.
As was previously mentioned, oxide precipitates provide some strength, but they are not particularly sensitive to heat treatment and may significantly reduce the toughness of the alloy.
Since alloys are often classified based on which element makes up the bulk of the material, many alloys also include titanium as a small component; nevertheless, they are typically not regarded as “titanium alloys” per se. Refer to the titanium applications sub-article.
By itself, titanium is a light and powerful metal. Although it is 45% lighter than typical low-carbon steels, it is stronger. Although it is just 60% heavier, it is also twice as strong as weak aluminum alloys.
Titanium is utilized in propeller shafts, rigging, and other areas of boats that are exposed to saltwater because of its exceptional resistance to corrosion.
When strength, light weight, and tolerance to high temperatures are crucial, titanium and its alloys are used in rockets, missiles, and aircraft.
Titanium and its alloys are employed in biological implants, screws, plates for fractures, and prosthetic joints since they do not react in the human body. See: Orthopedic implants made of titanium.
Compounds
As shown by the oxygen molecules titanium monoxide (TiO), dititanium trioxide (Ti₂O₃), and titanium dioxide (TiO₂), respectively, titanium may be found in oxidation states of +2, +3, and +4. The most stable oxidation state is +4.
In the +2 state, titanium’s chemistry is fairly limited. In contrast, titanium in the +3 state forms a variety of compounds.
One of the most significant is the trichloride TiCl₃, which is especially helpful as a catalyst in the stereospecific polymerization of propylene to create the economically valuable polymer polypropylene when it exists in crystalline form.
TiO₂ is the most significant of the compounds that titanium forms in its +4 state. This pure white, nontoxic powder is widely used as a pigment in lacquers, enamels, and paints.
It may be found in nature as the minerals rutile, anatase, octahedrite, and brookite. Titanium tetrachloride, a colorless liquid used to make titanium metal, is another substance of industrial importance.
It is also used as a catalyst in a variety of chemical processes, as well as for skywriting and smoke screen production. The resultant interstitial compounds, nitride (TiN), carbide (TiC), and borides (TiB and TiB₂), are very hard, refractory, and stable.
At high temperatures, titanium forms direct reactions with a variety of nonmetals, including silicon, sulfur, boron, nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen, and the halogens.
Alloys
Alloys containing a combination of titanium and other chemical components are known as titanium alloys. Even at very high temperatures, these alloys exhibit exceptionally high tensile strength and toughness.
They can tolerate high temperatures, are lightweight, and exhibit exceptional resistance to corrosion.
Nevertheless, their usage is restricted to military applications, spacecraft, airplanes, bicycles, jewelry, medical devices, and highly stressed parts like connecting rods on pricey sports vehicles, as well as certain high-end consumer gadgets and sporting equipment, because of the high processing costs.
For the majority of uses, titanium is alloyed with trace quantities of aluminum and vanadium, usually 6% and 4% by weight, respectively, even though “commercially pure” titanium possesses good mechanical qualities and has been used for orthopedic and dental implants.
This combination may be strengthened by precipitation because of its solid solubility, which changes significantly with temperature.
This heat treatment procedure makes it simpler to fabricate a high-strength product by being applied after the alloy has been formed into its final shape but before it is used.
FAQs
What is titanium mainly used for?
These alloys’ low density and resistance to temperature extremes make them ideal for use in spacecraft, missiles, and airplanes. They are also found in crutches, bicycles, computers, and golf clubs. Titanium pipes are used in power plant condensers due to their corrosion resistance.
Is titanium more expensive than gold?
The pricing of titanium against gold
Because of its availability and cheaper extraction costs, titanium is much less expensive than gold. Due to its rarity, gold fetches a premium price, which is determined by global trends, purity, and market demand.
What does titanium do in the body?
The ability of titanium to connect with bone and live tissue is essential for tissue restoration, and its strength and enhanced corrosion resistance make it a perfect material for a variety of other medical devices.
Is titanium stronger than diamond?
Without a doubt, diamonds are tougher and stronger than titanium. The strength of titanium may be as low as 434 Gpa or gigapascals, whereas diamonds have a strength range of around 60 GPa. However, in terms of hardness, diamonds are easily superior to titanium; their range is around 98.07 Rockwell C, whereas titanium’s range is approximately 36 Rockwell C.
Is titanium worth any money?
Titanium is often more costly than other metals due to its rarity and the fact that it is usually only found linked to other elements, which may raise processing costs.