What are the Properties of Titanium Metal?

What are the Properties of Titanium Metal?

Titanium is an important structural material due to its combination of low density, high strength, and ability to withstand extremes temperatures. It can be as strong as steel but 45% lighter, or twice as magnesium as aluminum while only 60% heavier. These features have led to its widespread application in the aerospace industry.

Titanium is an extremely reactive element. It burns in air and is the only element to burn in nitrogen. Bare metallic Titaniumreact strongly with water and hydrogen. This reactivity has been used advantageously in metallurgical processes where Titanium is added as a deoxidizer and an ultra-high vacuum pumping where titanium sublimation pumps are used as an oxygen getter.

In many common situations, however, this high reactivity actually functions to protect the metal from oxidation. Exposed to oxygen or water, Titaniumsurfaces quickly react to form an oxide dut that is thin, compact, strongly adherent, and highly insoluble. The thin passive oxide formed then protects the metal from further chemical attack, including that by water, oxygen, moist chlorine, chloride ions, organic acids, and dilute mineral acids. The high reactivity ensures that any mechanical damage to the passive oxide will rapidly repair itself. Thus, Ti, covered by the thin oxide, is highly resistant to gas-phase oxidation and aqueous corrosion. giving it application in many situations where a high level of resistance to chemical reaction is desired, such as in desalination plants, ships, biological implants, kraft mills, Chlor-alkali plants. and other aggressive industrial environments.