Titanium is without a doubt a superhero of a metal. It is highly resistant to corrosion. It is lighter than steel, heavier than aluminum, and stronger than both metals. While it is more expensive to invest initially, titanium is cheaper in the long run. This is because there is no need for service, maintenance or repairs. What makes titanium so… heroic?
Discovered in 1793 by the German chemist MH Klaproth, titanium was named after the Titans in Greek mythology, as they are the embodiment of natural force. The element was not isolated until 1910. Titanium is the ninth most abundant element on the planet as it makes up 25% of the Earth’s crust. It occurs in nature only in chemical combinations of oxygen and iron.
Titanium has a high passivity. This allows it to have resistance to corrosion from many minerals and chlorides. Titanium is very useful in the medical field due to its non-toxicity. It is also biologically compatible human bone and tissue. Titanium is commonly found in prosthetics and medical implantation products.
Titanium is first produced using Australian beach sand. The sand is converted to titanium-containing rutile ore and chlorinated in a sponge. Chlorine and coke are combined with rutile to produce titanium tetrachloride.
The tetrachloride is converted to magnesium in a closed system, which converts the by-products to sponge and magnesium chloride. Magnesium and magnesium chloride can be removed through the vacuum distillation process for reuse.
The sponge is cast from scrap metal and alloy elements. This can include vanadium, zirconium, tin, aluminum, and molybdenum. This is done in a vacuum arc reduction furnace to produce VAR ingots. It can also be done in an electron beam cold hearth furnace to produce remote electrodes. They can be cast with VAR to meet aerospace requirements or for directing slabs.
VAR bars are cylindrical shapes that weigh up to 17,500 pounds. The ingots are forged in slabs or rectangular shapes. They can also be forged into banknote or bar shapes. Ingots can also be used for investment casting material.
Further processing or rolling of forged or cast slabs or billets results in mill products. These include titanium plates, bars, rods, and titanium wire forms. Production can also create sheets of titanium that can be cut into strips. These strips are then formed into tubes or pipes.
There are many different grades of titanium that can be used for different purposes. Grade 1 is one of four commercially pure grades of titanium, along with grades 3 and 4. Grade 1 is the softest and most ductile. It has great formability, toughness and high corrosion resistance. Grade 1 is available in titanium plate and tubing.
Grade 2 is the workhorse due to its varied usability and availability. It is similar to grade 1 but stronger. Grade 2 has good weldability, strength, ductility, and formability. Grade 2 is available in bar and sheet forms.
Grade 3 is the least used, but is stronger than Grades 1 and 2. It is less malleable but has superior mechanics. Grade 3 application is used where strength and higher corrosion resistance are required. Grade 4 is the strongest and has all the characteristics of the previous grades. When high strength is needed, grade 4 is used.
One of the most surprising things about titanium is its use in the medical world. Titanium is used for joint reconstruction. Titanium’s natural properties, such as being non-toxic and biologically compatible, make it perfect for rebuilding body parts.
Titanium is truly a superhero among the different types of metals. Its strength, durability, low maintenance requirements, and resistance to corrosion make it a popular and useful metal. The formation and grades of titanium show how many applications and uses the metal has.