Introduction
As an important metal material, titanium has broad application prospects and market demand. Its unique physical and chemical properties make it widely used in aerospace, medical, automotive, industrial and sporting goods, etc. As a special metal full of magic, more and more people want to understand and explore this material in depth. This article aims to deeply explore the definition, characteristics, grades, production and applications of titanium metal in various markets, so that readers can have a deeper understanding of this material.
What is Titanium?
1. Definition and Basic Properties of Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with an atomic number of 22 and a chemical symbol of Ti. It is a transition metal with a relatively light density and good strength. Titanium metal exists in nature in the form of minerals such as ilmenite and rutile. It is the ninth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, typically occurring in the form of oxides.
Titanium metal possesses numerous excellent physical and chemical properties, making it an ideal choice for many applications. Firstly, titanium metal has a low density, approximately 4.5 grams per cubic centimeter, lighter than many other metals such as steel and nickel. This makes titanium metal widely used in fields requiring lightweight design, such as aerospace and automotive industries.
Secondly, titanium metal exhibits excellent strength. Despite its low density, it has strength comparable to many commonly used metals. This makes titanium metal highly favored in applications requiring high strength and corrosion resistance, such as aerospace engine components and artificial joints.
2. The History and Discovery of Titanium Metal
Titanium metal was first discovered in the late 18th century. In 1801, the British chemist Gregor discovered the element titanium in a mineral known as ilmenite. Subsequently, other chemists began to study titanium metal and discovered it in various ores.
In 1840, German chemist Martin Heinrich Klapoulos successfully extracted titanium metal for the first time and named the metal “titanium” to pay tribute to the giant Titan in Greek mythology. However, it was not until the 1940s that titanium metal began to be widely used in industry. With the development of metallurgical technology and cost reduction, titanium metal gradually became an important material for various applications.
3. Features of Titanium
In general, titanium metal has the following main characteristics:
3.1 Good corrosion resistance: Titanium metal can resist corrosion from many chemicals, including seawater and acidic solutions. This makes it an ideal choice for marine engineering and chemical industries.
3.2 Biocompatibility: Titanium metal exhibits good biocompatibility with human tissues, making it widely used in the manufacture of artificial joints and dental implants.
3.3 Good high-temperature properties: Titanium has a high melting point, about 1,668 degrees Celsius (3,034 degrees Fahrenheit), Titanium metal still maintains good mechanical properties and stability at high temperatures, which makes it important in high-temperature environments such as aircraft engines and gas turbines.
3.4 High strength and low density: Despite its low density, titanium metal has high strength and excellent strength and density comparison. This makes titanium an ideal material for manufacturing aerospace devices, automotive parts and other products that require lightweighting.
3.5 Excellent thermal conductivity: Titanium metal has good thermal conductivity, giving it an advantage in manufacturing high-performance radiators, coolers and other products.
Titanium Metal Production and Processing
1. Extraction and preparation methods of titanium metal
Extraction method: The extraction of titanium metal is mainly carried out by two methods, namely the Claus method and the chlorination method. The Claus method is the most commonly used method to obtain higher purity titanium metal by reducing titanium oxide ore. The chlorination rule is to react titanium oxide with chlorine gas to generate titanium chloride, and then obtain titanium metal through a reduction reaction.
Purification process: After obtaining titanium metal, a series of purification processes are required to improve its purity and performance. These processes include vacuum melting, gas phase oxide methods and plasma methods.
2. Processing technology: forging, rolling and forming
Forging: Titanium metal can be hot or cold forged to improve its mechanical and structural properties. Hot forging is suitable for parts with large deformations and complex shapes, while cold forging is suitable for processing small parts and precision parts.
Rolling: Titanium metal can also be produced by hot rolling and cold rolling to prepare products such as plates, strips and pipes. Hot rolling can obtain larger size and thickness products, while cold rolling can obtain higher surface quality and dimensional accuracy.
Molding: Titanium metal can also be used to prepare parts and products of various shapes through processes such as die casting, injection molding and 3D printing. These molding processes are suitable for manufacturing parts with complex shapes and structures.
Difference Between Pure Titanium and Titanium Alloys
Pure Titanium
It is also called industrial pure titanium or commercial pure titanium. It is graded according to the content of impurity elements. It has excellent stamping process performance and welding performance, is not sensitive to heat treatment and tissue type, and has a certain strength under satisfactory plasticity conditions. Its strength mainly depends on the content of interstitial elements oxygen and nitrogen. The properties of 99.5% industrial pure titanium are: density P=4.5g/cm3, melting point 1800°C, thermal conductivity λ=15.24W/(M.K), tensile strength σ b=539MPa, elongation: δ =25% , area shrinkage ψ=25%, elasticity modulus E=1.078×105MPa, hardness HB195
Titanium Alloy
It is an alloy based on titanium and added with other elements. It is a relatively young metal, with a history of only sixty or seventy years since its discovery. Titanium alloy materials have the characteristics of light weight, high strength, low elasticity, high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance. They are mainly used in aerospace engines, rockets, missiles and other components. Titanium has two isomorphic crystals. Titanium is an isomer with a melting point of 1720°C. It has a close-packed hexagonal crystal lattice structure when it is lower than 882°C, which is called alpha titanium; it has a body-centered structure above 882°C. The cubic lattice structure, called beta titanium, utilizes the different characteristics of the above two structures of titanium, adds appropriate alloying elements, and gradually changes its phase transformation temperature and phase content to obtain titanium alloys with different structures.
Grades of Titanium
Grade 1
It is the first of four grades of industrially pure titanium. It is the softest and most malleable of these grades. It offers maximum formability, excellent corrosion resistance and high impact toughness. Grade 1 is the material of choice for any application requiring ease of formability and is commonly used as titanium plate and titanium tubing.
Grade 2
Due to its diverse availability and wide availability, Grade 2 titanium is known as the “workhorse” of the commercial pure titanium industry. It has many of the same qualities as Grade 1 titanium, but is slightly stronger. Both are equally resistant to corrosion. This grade offers good weldability, strength, ductility and formability. This makes Grade 2 titanium rods and plates the first choice for many applications such as construction, power generation, and the medical industry.
Grade 3
This grade is least used of the commercially pure titanium grades, but that does not make it any less valuable. Grade 3 is stronger than Grades 1 and 2, similar in ductility and only slightly less formable – but it possesses higher mechanicals than its predecessors. Grade 3 is used in applications requiring moderate strength and primary corrosion resistance, such as aerospace, chemical processing, marine industries, etc.
Grade 4
It is considered the strongest of the four types of commercially pure titanium. It is also known for its excellent corrosion resistance, good formability and weldability. Used in some fuselage components, cryogenic vessels, heat exchangers and other applications that require high definition.
Grade 7
Mechanically and physically the same as Grade 2, except that the interstitial element palladium has been added to make it an alloy. Grade 7 offers excellent weldability and workability and is the most corrosion-resistant of all titanium alloys. Therefore it is mainly used as components in chemical processes and production equipment.
Grade 11
Very similar to Grade 1, except that a small amount of palladium is added to enhance corrosion resistance, making it an alloy. This corrosion resistance can be used to prevent crevice corrosion and reduce acids in chloride environments. Other useful properties include optimal ductility, cold formability, useful strength, impact toughness and excellent weldability. This alloy can be used in the same titanium applications as Grade 1, especially where corrosion is required.
Grade 5
Known as the “workhorse” of titanium alloys, Ti6Al-4V or Grade 5 titanium is the most commonly used of all titanium alloys. It accounts for 50% of the world’s total titanium consumption. Its usability lies in its many benefits. Ti6Al-4V can be heat treated to increase its strength. It can be used in welded structures at service temperatures up to 600°F. The alloy combines high strength with light weight, useful formability and high corrosion resistance. The availability of Ti6AI-4V makes it the best alloy for use in multiple industries such as aerospace, medical, marine and chemical processing industries.
Grade 23
Ti 6AL-4V ELI or Grade 5 ELI grade is a higher purity form of Ti 6Al-4V. It can be made into coils, strands, wires or flat wires. It is the first choice for any situation where high strength, light weight, good corrosion resistance and high toughness are required. It has excellent damage tolerance to other alloys. These advantages make Ti 6Al-4V ELI grade the ultimate dental and medical titanium grade. Due to its biocompatibility, good fatigue strength and low modulus, it can be used in biomedical applications such as implantable components.
Grade 12
It is a highly durable alloy that provides great strength at high temperatures. Grade 12 titanium has similar properties to 300 series stainless steel. The alloy can be hot or cold formed using press forming, hydroforming, stretch forming or the drop weight method. Its ability to form in a variety of ways makes it useful in many applications. The alloy’s high corrosion resistance also makes it invaluable for manufacturing equipment where crevice corrosion is a concern.
Grade 9
It is made of pure titanium with about 3% aluminum and about 2.5% vanadium added. This alloy generally has excellent corrosion resistance, high strength and good welding properties. Gr9 titanium alloy is widely used in aerospace, shipbuilding, chemical equipment and other fields, especially where high-performance materials are required in high temperature and corrosive environments. The properties of Gr9 titanium alloy make it an ideal structural material that can be used to manufacture a variety of parts and components.
Application Markets of Titanium
1. Aerospace
Titanium metal is widely used in the manufacture of aircraft structures and engine parts, such as aircraft fuselages, engine blades, etc.
Its lightweight and high-strength properties allow aircraft to reduce weight, improve fuel efficiency, and enhance aircraft durability and safety.
2. Medical
Titanium metal is used to manufacture medical devices such as bone implants, artificial joints, and dental restoration equipment.
Its biocompatibility and corrosion resistance make titanium one of the most ideal materials in the medical field.
3. Auto Industry
In automotive manufacturing, titanium is used to make lightweight components such as exhaust systems, suspension components and body structures.
Lightweight design can improve the fuel efficiency, power performance and safety of the car.
4. Marine Engineering
The application of titanium metal in ocean engineering involves desalination, ocean exploration and submarine pipelines.
Its corrosion resistance and resistance to seawater corrosion make titanium an ideal material for marine environments.
5. Sporting Goods Manufacturing
Titanium is used to make high-end sporting goods such as golf clubs, bicycle frames and tennis rackets.
Its high strength, lightweight and corrosion resistance give titanium products excellent performance and durability.
6. Industry
Titanium metal is used in the industry to manufacture chemical equipment, oil drilling tools, and power transmission equipment.
Its high temperature durability and corrosion resistance make titanium metal promising for use in harsh industrial environments.
Some Interesting Facts About Titanium
- The chemical symbol of titanium is Ti, the atomic number is 22.
- Titanium is the 9th most abundant element in the Earth’s crust.
- The name titanium comes from the Titans in Greek mythology.
- Titanium does not occur in nature as a metal.
- Titanium is the only metal that can bond and grow with human bones.
- The natural color of titanium is silvery white.
- Titanium is not magnetic.
- Titanium has a high melting point, about 1,668 degrees Celsius (3,034 degrees Fahrenheit)
- Titanium won’t rust.
- Titanium is non-toxic.
- China is the largest titanium producer in the world.