Where is titanium used? Characteristics and application of titanium and alloys based on it How titanium is mined

TITANIUM

TITANIUM

TITANIUM

1. In Greek mythology, a deity from among the giants led by Kronos, who were defeated and cast into tartarus (the underworld) by the Olympian gods, led by Zeus. The fight between titans and Olympians.

|| Descendant of someone of these gigantic deities. The Titan Prometheus stole fire from Olympus, which Zeus had taken from people. “Are you a titan whose heart is eaten by a corvid, or are you a corvid who torments a titan?”(about Byron being compared to Prometheus). Tyutchev .

2. A person distinguished by his outstanding, gigantic power of mind, genius, and activity (book rhetorician). Leo Tolstoy - titan of Russian literature. “It was quite difficult to understand what exactly she was afraid of from the modern titans of Russian thought.” Leskov .

3. only food. Chemical element - silvery-white solid metal (chemical).

4. A huge boiler of a special design (named after the factory brand; new).


Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935-1940.


Synonyms:

See what "TITAN" is in other dictionaries:

    TITANIUM (symbol Ti), brilliant silver-white TRANSITION ELEMENT. Discovered in 1791. This widespread element is found in many minerals, but its main sources are ILMENITE and RUTILE. Resistant to corrosion and heat,... ... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary

    - (Greek Titan). 1) son of Heaven and Vesta, eldest brother of Saturn, ancestor of the Titans. 2) a dark-colored metalloid, discovered in 1719. 3) the same as giant. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. TITAN Greek. Titan. A) … Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

    Cm … Synonym dictionary

    - (Titan), a series of American launch vehicles for launching the Gemini spacecraft, artificial Earth satellites and automatic interplanetary stations; their development program. Titan was created on the basis of an intercontinental ballistic missile... ...

    "Titanium"- (Nevsky Prospekt, 47), historical film cinema, part of the Titan cinema entertainment enterprise. The building was bought by merchant K.P. Palkin in 1871, rebuilt and added to, and a restaurant was opened in it. In the same building in 1873 there was a printing house... ... Encyclopedic reference book "St. Petersburg"

    - (Titanium), Ti, chemical element of group IV of the periodic table, atomic number 22, atomic mass 47.88; metal, melting point 1671shC. Titanium is a component of light durable alloys, an additive for special steels, a material for parts in electric vacuum technology,... ... Modern encyclopedia

    - (lat. Titanium) Ti, chemical element of group IV of the periodic table, atomic number 22, atomic weight 47.88. Name from Greek. Titanes titans. Silver-white metal; lightweight, refractory, durable, ductile; density 4.505 g/cm³, tpl… … Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

    Ti (from Greek Titanes titans; Latin Titanium * a. titanium; n. Titan; f. titane; i. titanio), chemical. element of group IV periodic. Mendeleev system, at. n. 22, at. m. 47.88. Natural T. consists of 5 stable isotopes: 46Ti (7.99%), 47Ti (7 ... Geological encyclopedia

    TITANIUM, a metal discovered by chemists, ore-yellow. Titanium scorl, rutile. Titanium iron. Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary. IN AND. Dahl. 1863 1866 … Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

    - (Nevsky Prospekt, 47), historical film cinema, part of the Titan cinema entertainment enterprise. The building was bought by merchant K.P. Palkin in 1871, rebuilt and added to, and a restaurant was opened in it. In the same building in 1873 there was... ... St. Petersburg (encyclopedia)

Books

  • Titan, Dreiser Theodore, “Titan” is the second part of the famous “Trilogy of Desire” by Theodore Dreiser, which is based on the life story of the American millionaire Charles Yerkes, who played a significant role in the development of… Category: Classic foreign prose Series: Pocket book Publisher: Eksmo-Press,
  • Titan, Dreiser Theodore, "Titan" is the second novel of the legendary "Trilogy of Desire" ("Financier", "Titan", "Stoic"), which is based on the life story of the American millionaire Charles Yerkes. Frank Cowperwood -… Category:

Titan is not a satellite of Saturn. Metal. In light of recent events, the topic is a bit slippery.

And so, titan

Titan is an ass. All the problems, shortcomings and other legacies of the past of our mineral resource base could be illustrated by one mineral resource - titanium.

But in order.

Titanium reserves in the Russian Federation range from 570 to 640 megatons (only the Chinese have more). Why such a run up? Find out further.

Extraction of titanium concentrate. Approximately 130 kilotons, most of which we export.

Why are all the top numbers approximate?

Because titanium is not specifically mined here. Like this. Only as an associated component and part of it is taken from objects for which the balance of titanium has not even been calculated.

For example, in 2011, we increased the SME for titanium simply by calculating the reserves at Rasvumchorr (I hate Finno-Ugric people for such names) and, oops, +6 megatons.

As always, we were lucky with the distribution of reserves and the quality of ores. 50% of our titanium lies in the Yarega oil-titanium field (Komi) in the so-called oil sandstones with leucoxene. At a similar site in Canada (Athabasca), production has not yet begun. Our Yaregskoye is listed as being prepared for development, but it is still 100 years away from being there. Because technologically it’s so complicated. In short, so as not to let our thoughts run wild here, 97% of our reserves lie in the unexploited fund.

Let's have fun further: if we talk about titanium as a metal, then after TiO2 concentrate (for the production of which we are not even in the top ten), the next stage is sponge titanium, here we are already third. Honorable. And then - purely concrete titanium ingots. And, lo and behold, Russia is the leader in titanium production! Like a fucking vacuum cleaner, we are eating titanium raw materials from all over the world - Ukraine, Australia, Mozambique, China, even Sierra Leone...

There is another use of titanium that not everyone knows about. Well, if you know hipster soap makers or a wife inspired by this hobby, then yes. Titanium dioxide- a white pigment used in cosmetics and also in paints, varnishes, etc. and so on. Yes, yes, the soap is so cloudy pale precisely because of it. What is the difference between pigment TiO2 and industrial TiO2? I know that Russia was selling about 230 kilotons per year, net imports. But...

The “Krysma Titan” in the city of Armyansk is designed just for this purpose. True, he worked on purely Ukrainian raw materials. This is bullshit.

PS: on the right there are my previous posts about reserves in Russia. For beginners, I recommend starting reading with.

Titanium - metal fairies At least the element is named after the queen of these mythical creatures. Titania, like all her relatives, was distinguished by her airiness.

Not only wings allow fairies to fly, but also their light weight. Titanium is also lightweight. The element has the lowest density among metals. This is where the resemblance to fairies ends and pure science begins.

Chemical and physical properties of titanium

Titanium - element silvery-white in color, with a pronounced shine. In the reflections of the metal you can see pink, blue, and red. Shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow is a characteristic feature of the 22nd element.

His rays are always bright, because titanium is resistant to corrosion. The material is protected from it by an oxide film. It forms on the surface at standard temperatures.

As a result, metal corrosion is not dangerous either in air, or in water, or in most aggressive environments, for example. This is what chemists called the mixture of concentrated and acidic compounds.

Element 22 melts at 1,660 degrees Celsius. It turns out, titanium – non-ferrous metal refractory group. The material begins to burn before it softens.

A white flame appears at 1,200 degrees. The substance boils at 3,260 Celsius. Melting an element makes it viscous. It is necessary to use special reagents that prevent sticking.

If the liquid mass of the metal is viscous and sticky, then in the powder state titanium is explosive. To trigger the “bomb,” heating up to 400 degrees Celsius is sufficient. While receiving thermal energy, the element transfers it poorly.

Titanium is also not used as an electrical conductor. But the material is valued for its strength. Combined with its low density and weight, it is useful in many industries.

Chemically, titanium is quite active. One way or another, metal interacts with most elements. Exceptions: - inert gases, , sodium, potassium, , calcium and.

Such a small amount of substances indifferent to titanium complicates the process of obtaining a pure element. Not easy to produce and titanium metal alloys. However, industrialists have learned to do this. The practical benefits of mixtures based on the 22nd substance are too high.

Application of titanium

Assembling airplanes and rockets - that's where it comes in handy in the first place. titanium. Metal buy necessary to increase the heat resistance and heat resistance of cabinets. Heat resistance – resistance to high temperatures.

For example, they are inevitable when accelerating a rocket in the atmosphere. Heat resistance is the preservation of most of the mechanical properties of the alloy in “fiery” circumstances. That is, with titanium, the performance characteristics of parts do not change depending on environmental conditions.

The corrosion resistance of 22nd metal is also useful. This property is important not only in the production of cars. The element is used for flasks and other glassware for chemical laboratories, and becomes a raw material for jewelry.

Raw materials are not cheap. But, in all industries, the costs are recouped by the service life of titanium products and their ability to maintain their original appearance.

Thus, a series of dishes from a St. Petersburg company "Neva" "Metal Titan" PC" allows you to use metal spoons when frying. They would destroy the Teflon and scratch it. Titanium coating does not care about the attacks of steel and aluminum.

This, by the way, also applies to jewelry. A ring made of or gold is easy to scratch. Titanium models remain smooth for decades. Therefore, the 22nd element began to be considered as a raw material for wedding rings.

Frying pan "Titanium Metal" Light, like dishes with Teflon. Element 22 is only slightly heavier than aluminum. This inspired not only representatives of the light industry, but also automotive specialists. It's no secret that cars have a lot of aluminum parts.

They are needed to reduce the weight of transport. But titanium is stronger. With regards to executive cars, the automotive industry has already almost completely switched to the use of 22nd metal.

Parts made of titanium and its alloys reduce the weight of the internal combustion engine by 30%. The body also becomes lighter, although the price increases. Aluminum is still cheaper.

Firm "Neva Metal Titan", reviews which is usually left with a plus sign, produces dishes. Automotive brands use titanium for cars. give the element the shape of rings, earrings and bracelets. There are not enough medical companies in this list of listings.

The 22nd metal is a raw material for prosthetics and surgical instruments. The product has almost no pores, so it can be easily sterilized. In addition, titanium, being lightweight, can withstand enormous loads. What else is needed, if, for example, a foreign part is placed instead of knee ligaments?

The absence of pores in the material is valued by successful restaurateurs. The cleanliness of a surgeon's scalpels is important. But the cleanliness of cooks’ work surfaces is also important. To ensure food is safe, it is cut and steamed on titanium tables.

They do not scratch and are easy to clean. Mid-level establishments, as a rule, use steel utensils, but they are inferior in quality. Therefore, in restaurants with Michelin stars, the equipment is titanium.

Titanium mining

The element is among the 20 most common on Earth, being exactly in the middle of the ranking. Based on the mass of the planet's crust, the titanium content is 0.57%. There is 0.001 milligram of the 24th metal per liter of sea water. Shales and clays contain 4.5 kilograms of the element per ton.

In acidic rocks, that is, rich in silica, titanium accounts for 2.3 kilograms per thousand. In the main deposits formed from magma, the 22nd metal is about 9 kilos per ton. The least titanium is hidden in ultramafic rocks with a 30 percent silica content - 300 grams per 1,000 kilograms of raw materials.

Despite its prevalence in nature, pure titanium is not found in it. The material for obtaining 100 percent metal was its iodite. The thermal decomposition of the substance was carried out by Arkel and De Boer. These are Dutch chemists. The experiment was a success in 1925. By the 1950s, mass production began.

Contemporaries, as a rule, extract titanium from its dioxide. This is a mineral called rutile. It contains the least amount of foreign impurities. Looks like titanite and .

When processing ilmenite ores, slag remains. This is what serves as the material for obtaining the 22nd element. The output is porous. It is necessary to carry out secondary melting in vacuum furnaces with the addition of.

If you work with titanium dioxide, magnesium and chlorine are added to it. The mixture is heated in vacuum ovens. The temperature is raised until all excess elements have evaporated. Remains at the bottom of the containers pure titanium. The method is called magnesium-thermal.

The calcium hydride method has also been developed. It is based on electrolysis. The high current allows the metal hydride to be separated into titanium and hydrogen. The iodite method of extracting the element, developed in 1925, continues to be used. However, in the 21st century it is the most labor-intensive and expensive, so it is beginning to be forgotten.

Titanium price

On metal titanium price is set per kilogram. At the beginning of 2016, it was about 18 US dollars. The global market for the 22nd element reached 7,000,000 tons over the past year. The largest suppliers are Russia and China.

This is due to the reserves they have explored and are suitable for development. In the second half of 2015, the demand for titanium and sheets began to decline.

Metal is also sold in the form of wire and various parts, for example, pipes. They are much cheaper than exchange rates. But, you need to take into account what comes in ingots pure titanium, and alloys based on it are used in products.

Physical and chemical properties of titanium, production of titanium

The use of titanium in pure form and in the form of alloys, the use of titanium in the form of compounds, the physiological effect of titanium

Section 1. History and occurrence of titanium in nature.

Titan -This an element of a secondary subgroup of the fourth group, the fourth period of the periodic system of chemical elements of D.I. Mendeleev, with atomic number 22. The simple substance titanium (CAS number: 7440-32-6) is a light metal of silvery-white color. It exists in two crystalline modifications: α-Ti with a hexagonal close-packed lattice, β-Ti with cubic body-centered packing, the temperature of the polymorphic transformation α↔β is 883 °C. Melting point 1660±20 °C.

History and occurrence of titanium in nature

Titan was named after the ancient Greek characters Titans. The German chemist Martin Klaproth named it this way for his own personal reasons, unlike the French who tried to give names in accordance with the chemical properties of the element, but since the properties of the element were unknown at that time, this name was chosen.

Titanium is the 10th element in terms of quantity on our planet. The amount of titanium in the earth's crust is 0.57% by mass and 0.001 milligrams per 1 liter of sea water. Titanium deposits are located in the Republic of South Africa, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Japan, Australia, India, Ceylon, Brazil and South Korea.


According to its physical properties, titanium is a light silvery metal; in addition, it is characterized by high viscosity during machining and is prone to sticking to the cutting tool, so special lubricants or spraying are used to eliminate this effect. At room temperature it is covered with a lasifying film of TiO2 oxide, due to which it is resistant to corrosion in most aggressive environments, except alkalis. Titanium dust tends to explode, with a flash point of 400 °C. Titanium shavings are fire hazardous.

To produce titanium in its pure form or its alloys, in most cases titanium dioxide is used with a small number of compounds included in it. For example, rutile concentrate obtained from the enrichment of titanium ores. But rutile reserves are extremely small and, therefore, so-called synthetic rutile or titanium slag, obtained by processing ilmenite concentrates, is used.

The discoverer of titanium is considered to be the 28-year-old English monk William Gregor. In 1790, while conducting mineralogical surveys in his parish, he noticed the prevalence and unusual properties of black sand in the Menacan Valley in southwest England and began to study it. In the sand, the priest discovered grains of a black shiny mineral that was attracted by an ordinary magnet. The purest titanium obtained in 1925 by Van Arkel and de Boer using the iodide method turned out to be a ductile and manufacturable metal with many valuable properties that attracted the attention of a wide range of designers and engineers. In 1940, Kroll proposed a magnesium-thermal method for extracting titanium from ores, which is still the main method today. In 1947, the first 45 kg of commercially pure titanium were produced.


In Mendeleev's periodic table of elements, titanium has serial number 22. The atomic mass of natural titanium, calculated from the results of studies of its isotopes, is 47.926. So, the nucleus of a neutral titanium atom contains 22 protons. The number of neutrons, i.e., neutral uncharged particles, is different: usually 26, but can range from 24 to 28. Therefore, the number of titanium isotopes is different. A total of 13 isotopes of element No. 22 are now known. Natural titanium consists of a mixture of five stable isotopes, the most widely represented is titanium-48, its share in natural ores is 73.99%. Titanium and other elements of subgroup IVB are very similar in properties to elements of subgroup IIIB (scandium group), although they differ from the latter in their ability to exhibit greater valency. The similarity of titanium with scandium, yttrium, as well as with elements of subgroup VB - vanadium and niobium is expressed in the fact that in natural minerals titanium is often found together with these elements. With monovalent halogens (fluorine, bromine, chlorine and iodine) it can form di- and tetra-compounds, with sulfur and elements of its group (selenium, tellurium) - mono- and disulfides, with oxygen - oxides, dioxides and trioxides.


Titanium also forms compounds with hydrogen (hydrides), nitrogen (nitrides), carbon (carbides), phosphorus (phosphides), arsenic (arsides), as well as compounds with many metals - intermetallic compounds. Titanium forms not only simple but also numerous complex compounds; many of its compounds with organic substances are known. As can be seen from the list of compounds in which titanium can participate, it is chemically very active. And at the same time, titanium is one of the few metals with exceptionally high corrosion resistance: it is practically eternal in air, in cold and boiling water, and is very resistant in sea water, in solutions of many salts, inorganic and organic acids. In terms of its corrosion resistance in sea water, it surpasses all metals, with the exception of noble ones - gold, platinum, etc., most types of stainless steel, nickel, copper and other alloys. In water and in many aggressive environments, pure titanium is not subject to corrosion. Titanium resists erosive corrosion that occurs as a result of a combination of chemical and mechanical effects on the metal. In this respect, it is not inferior to the best grades of stainless steels, copper-based alloys and other structural materials. Titanium also resists fatigue corrosion well, which often manifests itself in the form of violations of the integrity and strength of the metal (cracking, local corrosion, etc.). The behavior of titanium in many aggressive environments, such as nitric, hydrochloric, sulfuric, aqua regia and other acids and alkalis, causes surprise and admiration for this metal.


Titanium is a very refractory metal. For a long time it was believed that it melts at 1800 ° C, but in the mid-50s. English scientists Deardorff and Hayes established the melting point for pure elemental titanium. It amounted to 1668±3° C. In terms of its refractoriness, titanium is second only to such metals as tungsten, tantalum, niobium, rhenium, molybdenum, platinum group metals, zirconium, and among the main structural metals it ranks first. The most important feature of titanium as a metal is its unique physical and chemical properties: low density, high strength, hardness, etc. The main thing is that these properties do not change significantly at high temperatures.

Titanium is a light metal, its density at 0° C is only 4.517 g/cm8, and at 100° C – 4.506 g/cm3. Titanium belongs to the group of metals with a specific gravity of less than 5 g/cm3. This includes all alkali metals (sodium, cadium, lithium, rubidium, cesium) with a specific gravity of 0.9–1.5 g/cm3, magnesium (1.7 g/cm3), aluminum (2.7 g/cm3) and etc. Titanium is more than 1.5 times heavier than aluminum, and in this it, of course, loses to it, but it is 1.5 times lighter than iron (7.8 g/cm3). However, occupying an intermediate position between aluminum and iron in terms of specific density, titanium is many times superior to them in its mechanical properties.) Titanium has significant hardness: it is 12 times harder than aluminum, 4 times harder than iron and copper. Another important characteristic of a metal is its yield strength. The higher it is, the better the parts made of this metal resist operational loads. The yield strength of titanium is almost 18 times higher than that of aluminum. The specific strength of titanium alloys can be increased by 1.5–2 times. Its high mechanical properties are well preserved at temperatures up to several hundred degrees. Pure titanium is suitable for all types of processing in hot and cold conditions: it can be forged like iron, drawn and even made into wire, rolled into sheets, strips, and foil up to 0.01 mm thick.


Unlike most metals, titanium has significant electrical resistance: if the electrical conductivity of silver is taken to be 100, then the electrical conductivity of copper is 94, aluminum - 60, iron and platinum -15, and titanium - only 3.8. Titanium is a paramagnetic metal; it does not become magnetized like iron in a magnetic field, but it is not pushed out of it like copper. Its magnetic susceptibility is very weak, this property can be used in construction. Titanium has a relatively low thermal conductivity, only 22.07 W/(mK), which is approximately 3 times lower than the thermal conductivity of iron, 7 times lower than that of magnesium, 17–20 times lower than that of aluminum and copper. Accordingly, the coefficient of linear thermal expansion of titanium is lower than that of other structural materials: at 20 C it is 1.5 times lower than that of iron, 2 times lower than that of copper and almost 3 times lower than that of aluminum. Thus, titanium is a poor conductor of electricity and heat.


Today, titanium alloys are widely used in aviation technology. Titanium alloys were first used on an industrial scale in aircraft jet engine structures. The use of titanium in the design of jet engines makes it possible to reduce their weight by 10...25%. In particular, compressor discs and blades, air intake parts, guide vanes and fasteners are made from titanium alloys. Titanium alloys are indispensable for supersonic aircraft. The increase in flight speeds of aircraft has led to an increase in the temperature of the skin, as a result of which aluminum alloys no longer meet the requirements imposed by aircraft at supersonic speeds. The sheathing temperature in this case reaches 246...316 °C. Under these conditions, titanium alloys turned out to be the most acceptable material. In the 70s, the use of titanium alloys for civil aircraft airframes increased significantly. In the medium-range TU-204 aircraft, the total mass of parts made of titanium alloys is 2570 kg. The use of titanium in helicopters is gradually expanding, mainly for parts of the rotor system, drive, and control systems. Titanium alloys occupy an important place in rocket science.

Due to their high corrosion resistance in seawater, titanium and its alloys are used in shipbuilding for the manufacture of propellers, plating of sea vessels, submarines, torpedoes, etc. Shells do not stick to titanium and its alloys, which sharply increase the resistance of the vessel as it moves. Gradually, the areas of application of titanium are expanding. Titanium and its alloys are used in the chemical, petrochemical, pulp and paper and food industries, non-ferrous metallurgy, power engineering, electronics, nuclear engineering, electroplating, in the production of weapons, for the manufacture of armor plates, surgical instruments, surgical implants, desalination plants, racing car parts , sports equipment (golf clubs, mountaineering equipment), watch parts and even jewelry. Nitriding of titanium leads to the formation of a golden film on its surface, which is not inferior in beauty to real gold.

The discovery of TiO2 was made almost simultaneously and independently of each other by the Englishman W. Gregor and the German chemist M. G. Klaproth. W. Gregor, studying the composition of magnetic ferruginous sand (Creed, Cornwall, England, 1791), isolated a new “earth” (oxide) of an unknown metal, which he called menaken. In 1795, the German chemist Klaproth discovered a new element in the mineral rutile and named it titanium. Two years later, Klaproth established that rutile and menaken earth are oxides of the same element, which gave rise to the name “titanium” proposed by Klaproth. Ten years later, titanium was discovered for the third time. The French scientist L. Vauquelin discovered titanium in anatase and proved that rutile and anatase are identical titanium oxides.

The first sample of titanium metal was obtained in 1825 by J. Ya. Berzelius. Due to the high chemical activity of titanium and the difficulty of its purification, a pure sample of Ti was obtained by the Dutch A. van Arkel and I. de Boer in 1925 by thermal decomposition of titanium iodide vapor TiI4.

Titanium is in 10th place in terms of prevalence in nature. The content in the earth's crust is 0.57% by weight, in sea water 0.001 mg/l. In ultrabasic rocks 300 g/t, in basic rocks - 9 kg/t, in acidic rocks 2.3 kg/t, in clays and shales 4.5 kg/t. In the earth's crust, titanium is almost always tetravalent and is present only in oxygen compounds. Not found in free form. Under conditions of weathering and precipitation, titanium has a geochemical affinity with Al2O3. It is concentrated in bauxites of the weathering crust and in marine clayey sediments. Titanium is transferred in the form of mechanical fragments of minerals and in the form of colloids. Up to 30% TiO2 by weight accumulates in some clays. Titanium minerals are resistant to weathering and form large concentrations in placers. More than 100 minerals containing titanium are known. The most important of them are: rutile TiO2, ilmenite FeTiO3, titanomagnetite FeTiO3 + Fe3O4, perovskite CaTiO3, titanite CaTiSiO5. There are primary titanium ores - ilmenite-titanomagnetite and placer ores - rutile-ilmenite-zircon.

Main ores: ilmenite (FeTiO3), rutile (TiO2), titanite (CaTiSiO5).


As of 2002, 90% of mined titanium was used to produce titanium dioxide TiO2. World production of titanium dioxide was 4.5 million tons per year. Confirmed reserves of titanium dioxide (excluding Russia) are about 800 million tons. As of 2006, according to the US Geological Survey, in terms of titanium dioxide and excluding Russia, reserves of ilmenite ores amount to 603-673 million tons, and rutile ores - 49.7- 52.7 million tons. Thus, at the current rate of production, the world's proven reserves of titanium (excluding Russia) will last for more than 150 years.

Russia has the second largest reserves of titanium in the world, after China. The mineral resource base of titanium in Russia consists of 20 deposits (of which 11 are primary and 9 alluvial), fairly evenly distributed throughout the country. The largest of the explored deposits (Yaregskoye) is located 25 km from the city of Ukhta (Komi Republic). The deposit's reserves are estimated at 2 billion tons of ore with an average titanium dioxide content of about 10%.

The world's largest titanium producer is the Russian company VSMPO-AVISMA.

As a rule, the starting material for the production of titanium and its compounds is titanium dioxide with a relatively small amount of impurities. In particular, it can be a rutile concentrate obtained from the enrichment of titanium ores. However, the reserves of rutile in the world are very limited, and the so-called synthetic rutile or titanium slag, obtained from the processing of ilmenite concentrates, is more often used. To obtain titanium slag, ilmenite concentrate is reduced in an electric arc furnace, while iron is separated into the metal phase (cast iron), and non-reduced titanium oxides and impurities form the slag phase. Rich slag is processed using the chloride or sulfuric acid method.

In pure form and in the form of alloys

Titanium monument to Gagarin on Leninsky Prospekt in Moscow

The metal is used in: chemical industry (reactors, pipelines, pumps, pipeline fittings), military industry (body armor, aviation armor and fire barriers, submarine hulls), industrial processes (desalination plants, pulp and paper processes), automotive industry, agricultural industry, food industry, piercing jewelry, medical industry (prostheses, osteoprostheses), dental and endodontic instruments, dental implants, sporting goods, jewelry (Alexander Khomov), mobile phones, light alloys, etc. It is the most important structural material in aviation, rocket, shipbuilding.

Titanium casting is performed in vacuum furnaces into graphite molds. Vacuum lost wax casting is also used. Due to technological difficulties, it is used to a limited extent in artistic casting. The first monumental cast titanium sculpture in the world is the monument to Yuri Gagarin on the square named after him in Moscow.

Titanium is an alloying additive in many alloy steels and most special alloys.

Nitinol (nickel-titanium) is a shape memory alloy used in medicine and technology.

Titanium aluminides are very resistant to oxidation and heat-resistant, which in turn determined their use in aviation and automotive manufacturing as structural materials.

Titanium is one of the most common getter materials used in high-vacuum pumps.

White titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used in paints (such as titanium white) and in the production of paper and plastics. Food additive E171.

Organo-titanium compounds (eg tetrabutoxytitanium) are used as a catalyst and hardener in the chemical and paint and varnish industries.

Inorganic titanium compounds are used in the chemical electronics and fiberglass industries as additives or coatings.

Titanium carbide, titanium diboride, titanium carbonitride are important components of superhard materials for metal processing.

Titanium nitride is used to coat instruments, church domes and in the production of costume jewelry, because... has a color similar to gold.


Barium titanate BaTiO3, lead titanate PbTiO3 and a number of other titanates are ferroelectrics.

There are many titanium alloys with different metals. Alloying elements are divided into three groups, depending on their effect on the temperature of the polymorphic transformation: beta stabilizers, alpha stabilizers and neutral strengtheners. The first ones lower the transformation temperature, the second ones increase it, the third ones do not affect it, but lead to solution strengthening of the matrix. Examples of alpha stabilizers: aluminum, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen. Beta stabilizers: molybdenum, vanadium, iron, chromium, nickel. Neutral hardeners: zirconium, tin, silicon. Beta stabilizers, in turn, are divided into beta isomorphic and beta eutectoid-forming. The most common titanium alloy is the Ti-6Al-4V alloy (in the Russian classification - VT6).

60% - paint;

20% - plastic;

13% - paper;

7% - mechanical engineering.

$15-25 per kilogram, depending on purity.

The purity and grade of rough titanium (titanium sponge) is usually determined by its hardness, which depends on the impurity content. The most common brands are TG100 and TG110.

The price of ferrotitanium (minimum 70% titanium) as of December 22, 2010 is $6.82 per kilogram. As of January 1, 2010, the price was $5.00 per kilogram.

In Russia, prices for titanium at the beginning of 2012 were 1200-1500 rubles/kg.

Advantages:

low density (4500 kg/m3) helps reduce the mass of the material used;

high mechanical strength. It is worth noting that at elevated temperatures (250-500 °C) titanium alloys are superior in strength to high-strength aluminum and magnesium alloys;

unusually high corrosion resistance due to the ability of titanium to form thin (5-15 microns) continuous films of TiO2 oxide on the surface, firmly bonded to the mass of the metal;

the specific strength (the ratio of strength and density) of the best titanium alloys reaches 30-35 or more, which is almost twice the specific strength of alloy steels.


Flaws:

high cost of production, titanium is much more expensive than iron, aluminum, copper, magnesium;

active interaction at high temperatures, especially in the liquid state, with all gases that make up the atmosphere, as a result of which titanium and its alloys can only be melted in a vacuum or in an environment of inert gases;

difficulties in involving titanium waste into production;

poor antifriction properties due to the adhesion of titanium to many materials; titanium paired with titanium cannot work for friction;

high susceptibility of titanium and many of its alloys to hydrogen embrittlement and salt corrosion;

poor machinability, similar to the machinability of austenitic stainless steels;

high chemical activity, tendency to grain growth at high temperatures and phase transformations during the welding cycle cause difficulties in welding titanium.


The bulk of titanium is spent on the needs of aviation and rocket technology and marine shipbuilding. Titanium (ferrotitanium) is used as an alloying additive to high-quality steels and as a deoxidizing agent. Technical titanium is used for the manufacture of containers, chemical reactors, pipelines, fittings, pumps, valves and other products operating in aggressive environments. Compact titanium is used to make meshes and other parts of electric vacuum devices operating at high temperatures.

In terms of use as a structural material, titanium is in 4th place, second only to Al, Fe and Mg. Titanium aluminides are very resistant to oxidation and heat-resistant, which in turn determined their use in aviation and automotive manufacturing as structural materials. The biological safety of titanium makes it an excellent material for the food industry and reconstructive surgery.

Titanium and its alloys have found wide application in technology due to their high mechanical strength, which is maintained at high temperatures, corrosion resistance, heat resistance, specific strength, low density and other useful properties. The high cost of titanium and its alloys is in many cases offset by their greater performance, and in some cases they are the only material from which equipment or structures can be made that can operate under given specific conditions.

Titanium alloys play an important role in aviation technology, where they strive to obtain the lightest structure combined with the necessary strength. Titanium is lightweight compared to other metals, but at the same time can operate at high temperatures. Titanium alloys are used to make the casing, fastening parts, power kit, chassis parts, and various units. These materials are also used in the construction of aircraft jet engines. This allows you to reduce their weight by 10-25%. Titanium alloys are used to produce compressor discs and blades, air intake and guide vane parts, and fasteners.

Titanium and its alloys are also used in rocket science. Due to the short-term operation of engines and the rapid passage of dense layers of the atmosphere in rocket science, the problems of fatigue strength, static endurance and partly creep are eliminated to a large extent.

Due to its insufficiently high thermal strength, technical titanium is not suitable for use in aviation, but due to its exceptionally high corrosion resistance, in some cases it is indispensable in the chemical industry and shipbuilding. Thus, it is used in the manufacture of compressors and pumps for pumping such aggressive media as sulfuric and hydrochloric acid and their salts, pipelines, shut-off valves, autoclave, various types of containers, filters, etc. Only titanium has corrosion resistance in such environments as wet chlorine, aqueous and acidic solutions of chlorine, therefore equipment for the chlorine industry is made from this metal. Heat exchangers are made from titanium and operate in corrosive environments, for example, nitric acid (non-smoking). In shipbuilding, titanium is used for the manufacture of propellers, plating of ships, submarines, torpedoes, etc. Shells do not stick to titanium and its alloys, which sharply increase the resistance of the vessel as it moves.

Titanium alloys are promising for use in many other applications, but their spread in technology is hampered by the high cost and scarcity of titanium.

Titanium compounds are also widely used in various industries. Titanium carbide has high hardness and is used in the production of cutting tools and abrasives. White titanium dioxide (TiO2) is used in paints (such as titanium white) and in the production of paper and plastics. Organo-titanium compounds (eg tetrabutoxytitanium) are used as a catalyst and hardener in the chemical and paint and varnish industries. Inorganic titanium compounds are used in the chemical electronics and fiberglass industries as additives. Titanium diboride is an important component of superhard materials for metal processing. Titanium nitride is used to coat instruments.

Given the current high prices for titanium, it is used primarily for the production of military equipment, where the main role is played not by cost, but by technical characteristics. Nevertheless, there are known cases of using the unique properties of titanium for civilian needs. As titanium prices fall and its production increases, the use of this metal for military and civilian purposes will increasingly expand.


Aviation. The low specific gravity and high strength (especially at elevated temperatures) of titanium and its alloys make them very valuable aviation materials. In the field of aircraft construction and aircraft engine production, titanium is increasingly replacing aluminum and stainless steel. As the temperature rises, aluminum quickly loses its strength. On the other hand, titanium has a clear advantage in terms of strength at temperatures up to 430°C, and elevated temperatures of this order occur at high speeds due to aerodynamic heating. The advantage of replacing steel with titanium in aviation is the reduction in weight without loss of strength. The overall reduction in weight with increased performance at elevated temperatures allows for increased payload, range and maneuverability of aircraft. This explains the efforts to expand the use of titanium in aircraft construction in the production of engines, fuselage construction, skin production and even fasteners.

In the construction of jet engines, titanium is used primarily for the manufacture of compressor blades, turbine disks and many other stamped parts. Here, titanium replaces stainless and heat-treatable alloy steel. Saving one kilogram in engine weight allows saving up to 10 kg in the total weight of the aircraft due to the lighter fuselage. In the future, it is planned to use titanium sheets for the manufacture of engine combustion chamber casings.

In aircraft design, titanium is widely used for fuselage parts operating at elevated temperatures. Sheet titanium is used for the manufacture of all kinds of casings, protective sheaths for cables and guides for projectiles. Various stiffeners, fuselage frames, ribs, etc. are made from sheets of alloyed titanium.

Housings, flaps, cable guards and projectile guides are made from unalloyed titanium. Alloyed titanium is used for the manufacture of fuselage frames, frames, pipelines and fire partitions.


Titanium is increasingly used in the construction of the F-86 and F-100 aircraft. In the future, titanium will be used to make landing gear doors, hydraulic system pipelines, exhaust pipes and nozzles, spars, flaps, folding struts, etc.

Titanium can be used to make armor plates, propeller blades and shell boxes.

Currently, titanium is used in the construction of military aircraft: the Douglas X-3 for skin, the Republic F-84F, the Curtiss-Wright J-65 and the Boeing B-52.

Titanium is also used in the construction of DC-7 civil aircraft. The Douglas company, by replacing aluminum alloys and stainless steel with titanium in the manufacture of the engine nacelle and fire partitions, has already achieved savings in the weight of the aircraft structure of about 90 kg. Currently, the weight of titanium parts in this aircraft is 2%, and this figure is planned to be increased to 20% of the total weight of the aircraft.

The use of titanium makes it possible to reduce the weight of helicopters. Titanium sheets are used for floors and doors. A significant reduction in the weight of the helicopter (about 30 kg) was achieved as a result of replacing alloy steel with titanium for covering the blades of its rotors.

Navy. The corrosion resistance of titanium and its alloys makes them a highly valuable material at sea. The US Department of the Navy is conducting extensive research into titanium's corrosion resistance against exposure to flue gases, steam, oil and seawater. The high specific strength of titanium is almost equally important in naval affairs.

The low specific gravity of the metal, combined with corrosion resistance, increases the maneuverability and range of ships, and also reduces the cost of maintaining and repairing the material.


Naval applications of titanium include exhaust mufflers for submarine diesel engines, instrument disks, and thin-walled tubes for condensers and heat exchangers. According to experts, titanium, like no other metal, can increase the service life of exhaust mufflers on submarines. When applied to discs of measuring instruments operating in contact with salt water, gasoline or oil, titanium will provide better durability. The possibility of using titanium for the manufacture of heat exchanger pipes is being explored, which must be resistant to corrosion in the sea water that washes the pipes outside, and at the same time resist the effects of exhaust condensate flowing inside them. The possibility of manufacturing antennas and components of radar installations from titanium, which are required to be resistant to the effects of flue gases and sea water, is being considered. Titanium can also be used for the production of parts such as valves, propellers, turbine parts, etc.

Artillery. Apparently, the largest potential consumer of titanium may be artillery, where intensive research is currently underway on various prototypes. However, in this area, the production of only individual parts and parts made of titanium has been standardized. The very limited use of titanium in artillery, despite the large scope of research, is explained by its high cost.

Various parts of artillery equipment were investigated from the point of view of the possibility of titanium replacing conventional materials, subject to a decrease in titanium prices. The main focus was on parts where weight savings are significant (hand-carried and air-transported parts).

Mortar base plate made of titanium instead of steel. Through this replacement and after some reworking, instead of a steel plate from two halves with a total weight of 22 kg, it was possible to create one part weighing 11 kg. Thanks to this replacement, the number of service personnel can be reduced from three to two. The possibility of using titanium for the manufacture of gun flame arresters is being considered.

Gun mounts, carriage crosspieces and recoil cylinders made of titanium are being tested. Titanium can be widely used in the production of guided missiles and missiles.

The first studies of titanium and its alloys showed the possibility of manufacturing armor plates from them. Replacing steel armor (12.7 mm thick) with titanium armor of the same projectile resistance (16 mm thick) allows, according to these studies, weight savings of up to 25%.


Titanium alloys of improved quality allow us to hope for the possibility of replacing steel plates with titanium plates of equal thickness, which results in weight savings of up to 44%. The industrial use of titanium will provide greater maneuverability, increase the transportation range and durability of the weapon. The current level of development of air transport makes obvious the advantages of light armored cars and other vehicles made of titanium. The artillery department intends to equip the infantry with helmets, bayonets, grenade launchers and hand flamethrowers made of titanium in the future. Titanium alloy was first used in artillery to make the piston of some automatic guns.

Transport. Many of the benefits of using titanium in armored vehicles also apply to vehicles.

Replacing the structural materials currently consumed by transport engineering enterprises with titanium should lead to a reduction in fuel consumption, an increase in payload capacity, an increase in the fatigue limit of parts of crank mechanisms, etc. On railways, it is extremely important to reduce dead load. A significant reduction in the total weight of the rolling stock due to the use of titanium will allow saving in traction, reducing the dimensions of journals and axle boxes.

Weight is also important for towed vehicles. Here, replacing steel with titanium in the production of axles and wheels would also increase payload capacity.

All these possibilities could be realized by reducing the price of titanium from 15 to 2-3 dollars per pound of titanium semi-finished products.

Chemical industry. In the production of equipment for the chemical industry, the corrosion resistance of the metal is of most importance. It is also significant to reduce the weight and increase the strength of the equipment. Logically, it should be assumed that titanium could provide a number of benefits in the production of equipment for transporting acids, alkalis and inorganic salts. Additional possibilities for using titanium open up in the production of equipment such as tanks, columns, filters and all kinds of high-pressure cylinders.

The use of titanium pipelines can increase the efficiency of heating coils in laboratory autoclaves and heat exchangers. The applicability of titanium for the production of cylinders in which gases and liquids are stored under pressure for a long time is evidenced by the use of a heavier glass tube for microanalysis of combustion products (shown in the upper part of the image). Due to its thin wall thickness and low specific gravity, this tube can be weighed on more sensitive, smaller analytical balances. Here, the combination of lightness and corrosion resistance improves the accuracy of chemical analysis.

Other applications. The use of titanium is advisable in the food, oil and electrical industries, as well as for the manufacture of surgical instruments and in surgery itself.

Tables for food preparation and steaming tables made of titanium are superior in quality to steel products.

In the oil and gas drilling fields, the fight against corrosion is of serious importance, so the use of titanium will make it possible to replace corroding equipment rods less frequently. In catalytic production and for the manufacture of oil pipelines, it is desirable to use titanium, which retains mechanical properties at high temperatures and has good corrosion resistance.

In the electrical industry, titanium can be used for armoring cables due to its good specific strength, high electrical resistance and non-magnetic properties.

Various industries are beginning to use fasteners of one form or another made of titanium. Further expansion of the use of titanium is possible for the manufacture of surgical instruments, mainly due to its corrosion resistance. Titanium instruments are superior in this regard to conventional surgical instruments when subjected to repeated boiling or autoclaving.

In the field of surgery, titanium has proven to be superior to vitalium and stainless steels. The presence of titanium in the body is quite acceptable. The titanium plate and screws for attaching the bones were in the animal’s body for several months, and bone grew into the threads of the screw threads and into the hole of the plate.

The advantage of titanium is also that muscle tissue forms on the plate.

Approximately half of the titanium products produced in the world are usually sent to the civil aircraft industry, but its decline after the famous tragic events forces many industry participants to look for new areas of application of titanium. This material represents the first part of a selection of publications in the foreign metallurgical press devoted to the prospects of titanium in modern conditions. According to estimates of one of the leading American titanium manufacturers RT1, out of the total volume of titanium production on a global scale at the level of 50-60 thousand tons per year, the aerospace segment accounts for up to 40 consumption, industrial applications and applications account for 34, and the military area accounts for 16 , and about 10 are due to the use of titanium in consumer products. Industrial applications of titanium include chemical processes, energy, oil and gas, and desalination plants. Military non-aviation applications include primarily use in artillery and combat vehicles. Sectors with significant volumes of titanium use are automotive, architecture and construction, sporting goods, and jewelry. Almost all titanium ingots are produced in the USA, Japan and the CIS - Europe accounts for only 3.6 of the global volume. Regional end-use markets for titanium vary widely - the most striking example of distinctiveness is Japan, where the civil aerospace sector accounts for only 2-3 while using 30 of total titanium consumption in equipment and structural components of chemical plants. About 20% of total demand in Japan comes from nuclear energy and solid fuel power plants, the rest comes from architecture, medicine and sports. The opposite picture is observed in the USA and Europe, where consumption in the aerospace sector is extremely important - 60-75 and 50-60 for each region, respectively. In the US, traditionally strong end markets are chemicals, medical devices, industrial equipment, while in Europe the oil and gas and construction industries account for the largest share. Heavy reliance on the aerospace industry has been a long-standing concern for the titanium industry, which is trying to expand titanium's applications, especially given the current downturn in civil aviation globally. According to the US Geological Survey, in the first quarter of 2003 there was a significant decline in imports of titanium sponge - only 1319 tons, which is 62 less than 3431 tons for the same period in 2002. According to John Barber, director of market development for giant American titanium manufacturer and supplier Tipe, the aerospace sector will always be one of the leading markets for titanium, but we must rise to the challenge and make sure that our industry does not follow cycles of growth and decline in the aerospace sector. Some of the titanium industry's leading manufacturers see growing opportunities in existing markets, one of which is the subsea equipment and materials market. According to Martin Proko, sales and distribution manager for RT1, titanium has been used in the energy and subsea industries for quite a long time, since the early 1980s, but only in the last five years have these areas become steadily developing with a corresponding growth in the market niche. In subsea, growth is primarily driven by drilling at greater depths, where titanium is the most suitable material. Its underwater life cycle, so to speak, is fifty years, which is the normal length of underwater projects. The areas in which the use of titanium is likely to increase are already listed above. As Howmet Ti-Cast sales manager Bob Funnell points out, the current state of the market can be seen as an increase in opportunities in new areas such as rotating parts for truck turbochargers, rockets and pumps.


One of our current projects is the development of BAE Novitzer XM777 light artillery systems with a caliber of 155 mm. Howmet will supply 17 of the 28 structural titanium castings for each gun mount, expected to begin delivery to USMC units in August 2004. With a total gun weight of 9,800 pounds, approximately 4.44 tons, titanium accounts for about 2,600 pounds of approximately 1.18 tons of titanium - using 6A14U alloy with a large number of castings, says Frank Hrster, BAE 8u81et8 fire support systems manager. This XM777 system is intended to replace the current M198 Hovitzer system, which weighs approximately 17,000 pounds (approximately 7.71 tons). Mass production is planned for the period from 2006 to 2010 - initially deliveries are scheduled for the USA, Great Britain and Italy, but the program may be expanded to supply NATO member countries. John Barber of Timet points out that examples of military equipment that use significant amounts of titanium in their design include the Abrams tank and the Bradley Fighting Vehicle. For two years now, a joint program of NATO, the United States and Great Britain has been underway to intensify the use of titanium in weapons and defense systems. As has been noted more than once, titanium is very suitable for use in the automotive industry, however, the share of this direction is quite modest - approximately 1 of the total volume of consumed titanium, or 500 tons per year, according to the Italian company Poggipolini, a manufacturer of titanium components and parts for Formula- 1 and racing motorcycles. The head of the research and development department of this company, Daniele Stoppolini, believes that the current demand for titanium in this market segment is at the level of 500 tons, with the massive use of this material in the designs of valves, springs, exhaust systems, transmission shafts, bolts, could potentially rise to almost not 16,000 tons per year He added that his company is just beginning to develop automated production of titanium bolts in order to reduce production costs. In his opinion, the limiting factors due to which the use of titanium has not expanded significantly in the automotive industry are the unpredictability of demand and uncertainty in the supply of raw materials. At the same time, there remains a large potential niche in the automotive industry for titanium, which combines optimal weight and strength characteristics for coil springs and exhaust gas exhaust systems. Unfortunately, in the American market, the widespread use of titanium in these systems is marked only by the rather exclusive semi-sports model Chevrolet Corvette Z06, which in no way can claim to be a mass-produced car. However, due to the ongoing challenges of fuel economy and corrosion resistance, the prospects for titanium in this area remain. For approval in the non-aerospace and non-military markets, a joint venture UNITI was recently created in its name, a play on the word unity - unity and Ti - the designation of titanium in the periodic table as part of the world's leading titanium producers - the American Allegheny Technologies and the Russian VSMPO-Avisma. As the president of the new company, Karl Moulton, said, these markets were deliberately excluded - we intend to make the new company a leading supplier to industries using titanium parts and assemblies, primarily petrochemical and energy. In addition, we intend to actively market in the areas of desalination devices, vehicles, consumer products and electronics. I believe that our production facilities complement each other well - VSMPO has outstanding capabilities for the production of final products, Allegheny has excellent traditions in the production of cold and hot titanium rolled products. UNITI's products are expected to have a share of the global titanium market of 45 million pounds, approximately 20,411 tons. The medical equipment market can be considered a steadily developing market - according to the English Titanium International Group, the annual content of titanium around the world in various implants and prostheses is about 1000 tons, and this figure will increase as the possibilities of surgery to replace human joints after accidents or accidents increase. injuries Besides the obvious advantages of flexibility, strength, and lightness, titanium is highly compatible with the body in a biological sense due to the lack of corrosion to tissues and fluids in the human body. In dentistry, the use of dentures and implants is also sharply increasing - tripling over the past ten years, according to the American Dental Association, largely due to the characteristics of titanium. Although the use of titanium in architecture dates back more than 25 years, its widespread use in this area has only begun in recent years. The expansion of Abu Dhabi Airport in the UAE, scheduled for completion in 2006, will use up to 1.5 million pounds of approximately 680 tons of titanium. Quite a lot of different architectural and construction projects using titanium are planned to be implemented not only in the developed countries of the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Singapore, but also in Egypt and Peru.


The consumer goods market segment is currently the fastest growing segment of the titanium market. While 10 years ago this segment accounted for only 1-2 of the titanium market, today it has grown to 8-10 of the market. Overall, titanium consumption in consumer products has grown at approximately twice the rate of the overall titanium market. The use of titanium in sports is the longest lasting and accounts for the largest share of titanium applications in consumer products. The reason for the popularity of using titanium in sports equipment is simple - it allows you to achieve a weight-to-strength ratio superior to any other metal. The use of titanium in bicycles began approximately 25-30 years ago and was the first use of titanium in sports equipment. The primary tubes used are Ti3Al-2.5V ASTM Grade 9 alloy. Other parts made from titanium alloys include brakes, sprockets and seat springs. The use of titanium in the production of golf clubs first began in the late 80s and very early 90s by club manufacturers in Japan. Until 1994-1995, this application of titanium was virtually unknown in the United States and Europe. That changed when Callaway introduced its Ruger Titanium made titanium putter called the Great Big Bertha. Due to the obvious benefits and with the help of Callaway's well-thought-out marketing, titanium clubs instantly gained enormous popularity. In a short period of time, titanium clubs have gone from being the exclusive and expensive equipment of a small group of golfers to being widely used by the majority of golfers while still being more expensive than steel clubs. I would like to cite the main, in my opinion, trends in the development of the golf market; it has gone from high-tech to mass production in a short period of 4-5 years, following the path of other industries with high labor costs such as the production of clothing, toys and consumer electronics; the production of golf clubs has gone into countries with the cheapest labor first to Taiwan, then to China, and now factories are being built in countries with even cheaper labor such as Vietnam and Thailand titanium is definitely used for drivers, where its superior qualities provide a clear advantage and justify the higher price . However, titanium has not yet found very widespread adoption on subsequent clubs, as the significant increase in cost has not been matched by a corresponding improvement in play. Currently, drivers are mainly produced with a forged striking face, a forged or cast top and a cast bottom. Recently, the Professional Golf Association ROA has allowed an increase the upper limit of the so-called return coefficient, in connection with which all club manufacturers will try to increase the spring properties of the striking surface. To do this, it is necessary to reduce the thickness of the impact surface and use stronger alloys for it, such as SP700, 15-3-3-3 and VT-23. Now let's look at the use of titanium and its alloys on other sports equipment. Pipes for racing bicycles and other parts are made from ASTM Grade 9 Ti3Al-2.5V alloy. A surprisingly significant amount of titanium sheet is used in the production of diving knives. Most manufacturers use Ti6Al-4V alloy, but this alloy does not provide the edge durability of other stronger alloys. Some manufacturers are switching to using VT23 alloy.


The retail price of titanium diving knives is approximately $70-$80. Cast titanium horseshoes provide a significant reduction in weight compared to steel, while still providing the necessary strength. Unfortunately, this use of titanium did not come to fruition because titanium horseshoes sparked and spooked horses. Few will agree to use titanium horseshoes after the first unsuccessful experiences. The Titanium Beach company, located in Newport Beach, California Newport Beach, California, has developed skate blades made from Ti6Al-4V alloy. Unfortunately, the durability of the blade edges is again an issue here. I think this product has a chance of life if manufacturers use stronger alloys such as 15-3-3-3 or VT-23. Titanium is very widely used in mountaineering and hiking, for almost all items that climbers and hikers carry in their backpacks bottles, cups retail price 20-30 dollars, cooking sets retail price approximately 50 dollars, tableware, mostly made from commercial pure titanium Grade 1 and 2. Other examples of mountaineering and hiking equipment are compact stoves, tent poles and mounts, ice axes and ice drills. Gun manufacturers have recently begun producing titanium pistols for both sport shooting and law enforcement use.

Consumer electronics is a fairly new and rapidly growing market for titanium. In many cases, the use of titanium in consumer electronics is driven not only by its excellent properties, but also by the attractive appearance of the products. Commercially pure Grade 1 titanium is used to make cases for laptop computers, mobile phones, plasma flat screen televisions and other electronic equipment. The use of titanium in the production of speakers provides better acoustic properties due to the lightness of titanium compared to steel, resulting in increased acoustic sensitivity. Titanium watches, first introduced to the market by Japanese manufacturers, are now one of the most affordable and recognized consumer titanium products. World consumption of titanium in the production of traditional and so-called body jewelry is measured in several tens of tons. You can increasingly see titanium wedding rings, and of course, people who wear jewelry on their bodies are simply obliged to use titanium. Titanium is widely used in the production of marine fasteners and fittings, where the combination of high corrosion resistance and strength is very important. Atlas Ti, based in Los Angeles, produces a wide range of these products from VTZ-1 alloy. The use of titanium in the production of tools first began in the Soviet Union in the early 80s, when, on instructions from the government, lightweight and convenient tools were made to make workers' work easier. The Soviet titanium production giant Verkhne-Salda Metal Processing Production Association at that time produced titanium shovels, nail pullers, pry bars, hatchets and keys.


Later, Japanese and American tool manufacturers began to use titanium in their products. Not long ago, VSMPO entered into a contract with Boeing for the supply of titanium plates. This contract undoubtedly had a very beneficial effect on the development of titanium production in Russia. Titanium has been widely used in medicine for many years. The advantages are strength, corrosion resistance, and most importantly, some people are allergic to nickel, an essential component of stainless steels, while no one is allergic to titanium. The alloys used are commercially pure titanium and Ti6-4Eli. Titanium is used in the production of surgical instruments, internal and external prostheses, including such critical ones as the heart valve. Crutches and wheelchairs are made from titanium. The use of titanium in art dates back to 1967, when the first titanium monument was erected in Moscow.

Currently, a significant number of titanium monuments and buildings have been erected on almost all continents, including such famous ones as the Guggenheim Museum, built by architect Frank Gehry in Bilbao. The material is very popular among artists for its color, appearance, strength and corrosion resistance. For these reasons, titanium is used in souvenirs and costume jewelry, where it successfully competes with precious metals such as silver and even gold. As already noted in one of the publications on titanium, one of the main reasons holding back the titanium breakthrough into wide markets is its high cost . As Martin Proko from RTi notes, in the US the average price of titanium sponge is 3.80 per pound, in Russia 3.20 per pound. In addition, the price of metal is highly dependent on the cyclical nature of the commercial aerospace industry. The development of many projects could accelerate sharply if ways can be found to reduce the costs of titanium production and processing, scrap processing and smelting technologies, notes Markus Holz, managing director of the German Deutshe Titan. A representative from British Titanium agrees that the expansion of titanium products is being hampered by high production costs and many improvements to current technology need to be made before titanium can be introduced into mass production.


One of the steps in this direction is the development of the so-called FFC process, which is a new electrolytic process for producing titanium metal and alloys, the cost of which is significantly lower. According to Daniele Stoppolini, the overall strategy in the titanium industry requires the development of the most suitable alloys, production technologies for each new market and application of titanium.

Sources

Wikipedia – The Free Encyclopedia, WikiPedia

metotech.ru - Metotechnics

housetop.ru - House Top

atomsteel.com – Atom Technology

domremstroy.ru - DomRemStroy

Titanium was originally named "gregorite" by British chemist Reverend William Gregor, who discovered it in 1791. Titanium was then independently discovered by the German chemist M. H. Klaproth in 1793. He named it titan after the Titans of Greek mythology - "the embodiment of natural strength." It was not until 1797 that Klaproth discovered that his titanium was an element previously discovered by Gregor.

Characteristics and properties

Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It is a lustrous metal with a silvery color, low density and high strength. It is resistant to corrosion in seawater and chlorine.

Element occurs in a number of mineral deposits, mainly rutile and ilmenite, which are widespread in the earth's crust and lithosphere.

Titanium is used to produce strong light alloys. The metal's two most useful properties are corrosion resistance and its hardness-to-density ratio, the highest of any metallic element. In its unalloyed state, this metal is as strong as some steels, but less dense.

Physical properties of metal

This is a durable metal low density, quite plastic (especially in an oxygen-free environment), shiny and metalloid white. Its relatively high melting point of over 1650 °C (or 3000 °F) makes it useful as a refractory metal. It is paramagnetic and has fairly low electrical and thermal conductivity.

On the Mohs scale, the hardness of titanium is 6. According to this indicator, it is slightly inferior to hardened steel and tungsten.

Commercially pure (99.2%) titanium has an ultimate tensile strength of about 434 MPa, which is similar to common low-grade steel alloys, but titanium is much lighter.

Chemical properties of titanium

Like aluminum and magnesium, titanium and its alloys immediately oxidize when exposed to air. It reacts slowly with water and air at ambient temperatures, because it forms a passive oxide coating, which protects the bulk metal from further oxidation.

Atmospheric passivation gives titanium excellent corrosion resistance almost equivalent to platinum. Titanium is able to resist attack from dilute sulfuric and hydrochloric acids, chloride solutions and most organic acids.

Titanium is one of the few elements that burns in pure nitrogen, reacting at 800°C (1470°F) to form titanium nitride. Due to their high reactivity with oxygen, nitrogen and some other gases, titanium filaments are used in titanium sublimation pumps as absorbers for these gases. These pumps are inexpensive and reliably produce extremely low pressures in ultra-high vacuum systems.

Common titanium-containing minerals are anatase, brookite, ilmenite, perovskite, rutile and titanite (sphene). Of these minerals, only rutile and ilmenite are economically important, but even these are difficult to find in high concentrations.

Titanium is found in meteorites and has been found in the Sun and M-type stars with surface temperatures of 3200° C (5790° F).

Currently known methods for extracting titanium from various ores are labor-intensive and expensive.

Production and manufacturing

Currently, about 50 grades of titanium and titanium alloys have been developed and used. Today, 31 classes of titanium metal and alloys are recognized, of which classes 1–4 are commercially pure (unalloyed). They differ in tensile strength depending on oxygen content, with class 1 being the most ductile (lowest tensile strength with 0.18% oxygen) and class 4 the least ductile (highest tensile strength with 0.40% oxygen). ).

The remaining classes are alloys, each of which has specific properties:

  • plastic;
  • strength;
  • hardness;
  • electrical resistance;
  • specific corrosion resistance and their combinations.

In addition to these specifications, titanium alloys are also manufactured to meet aerospace and military specifications (SAE-AMS, MIL-T), ISO standards and country-specific specifications, as well as end-user requirements for aerospace, military, medical and industrial applications.

A commercially pure flat product (sheet, slab) can be easily formed, but processing must take into account the fact that the metal has a "memory" and a tendency to bounce back. This is especially true for some high-strength alloys.

Titanium is often used to make alloys:

  • with aluminum;
  • with vanadium;
  • with copper (for hardening);
  • with iron;
  • with manganese;
  • with molybdenum and other metals.

Areas of use

Titanium alloys in sheet, plate, rod, wire, and casting form find applications in industrial, aerospace, recreational, and emerging markets. Powdered titanium is used in pyrotechnics as a source of bright burning particles.

Because titanium alloys have a high tensile strength-to-density ratio, high corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, high crack resistance, and the ability to withstand moderately high temperatures, they are used in aircraft, armor, naval vessels, spacecraft, and missiles.

For these applications, titanium is alloyed with aluminum, zirconium, nickel, vanadium and other elements to produce a variety of components, including critical structural members, firewalls, landing gear, exhaust pipes (helicopters) and hydraulic systems. In fact, about two-thirds of titanium metal produced is used in aircraft engines and frames.

Because titanium alloys are resistant to seawater corrosion, they are used for propeller shafts, heat exchanger rigging, etc. These alloys are used in housings and components of ocean surveillance and monitoring devices for science and the military.

Specific alloys are used in oil and gas wells and nickel hydrometallurgy for their high strength. The pulp and paper industry uses titanium in process equipment exposed to aggressive environments such as sodium hypochlorite or wet chlorine gas (in bleaching). Other applications include ultrasonic welding, wave soldering.

Additionally, these alloys are used in automotive applications, especially in automobile and motorcycle racing where low weight, high strength and stiffness are essential.

Titanium is used in many sporting goods: tennis rackets, golf clubs, lacrosse shafts; cricket, hockey, lacrosse and football helmets, as well as bicycle frames and components.

Due to its durability, titanium has become more popular for designer jewelry (particularly titanium rings). Its inertness makes it a good choice for people with allergies or those who will be wearing jewelry in environments such as swimming pools. Titanium is also alloyed with gold to produce an alloy that can be sold as 24 karat gold because 1% Ti alloyed is not enough to require a lower grade. The resulting alloy is approximately the hardness of 14 karat gold and is stronger than pure 24 karat gold.

Precautionary measures

Titanium is non-toxic even in large doses. Whether in powder or metal filing form, it poses a serious fire hazard and, if heated in air, an explosion hazard.

Properties and applications of titanium alloys

Below is an overview of the most commonly found titanium alloys, divided into classes, their properties, advantages and industrial applications.

7th grade

Grade 7 is mechanically and physically equivalent to Grade 2 pure titanium, except for the addition of the intermediate element palladium, making it an alloy. It has excellent weldability and elasticity, the most corrosion resistance of all alloys of this type.

Class 7 is used in chemical processes and manufacturing equipment components.

Grade 11

Class 11 is very similar to Class 1, except for the addition of palladium to improve corrosion resistance, making it an alloy.

Other useful properties include optimal ductility, strength, toughness and excellent weldability. This alloy can be used especially in applications where corrosion is a problem:

  • chemical treatment;
  • production of chlorates;
  • desalination;
  • marine applications.

Ti 6Al-4V, class 5

Ti 6Al-4V alloy, or grade 5 titanium, is the most commonly used. It accounts for 50% of total titanium consumption worldwide.

Ease of use lies in its many advantages. Ti 6Al-4V can be heat treated to increase its strength. This alloy has high strength with low weight.

This is the best alloy to use in several industries, such as aerospace, medical, marine and chemical processing industries. It can be used to create:

  • aircraft turbines;
  • engine components;
  • aircraft structural elements;
  • aerospace fasteners;
  • high-performance automatic parts;
  • sports equipment.

Ti 6AL-4V ELI, class 23

Class 23 - surgical titanium. Ti 6AL-4V ELI alloy, or grade 23, is a higher purity version of Ti 6Al-4V. It can be made from rolls, threads, wires or flat wires. It is the best choice for any situation where a combination of high strength, low weight, good corrosion resistance and high toughness is required. It has excellent damage resistance.

It can be used in biomedical applications such as implantable components due to its biocompatibility, good fatigue resistance. It can also be used in surgical procedures to make the following structures:

  • orthopedic pins and screws;
  • ligature clamps;
  • surgical staples;
  • springs;
  • orthodontic devices;
  • cryogenic vessels;
  • bone fixation devices.

12th grade

Titanium grade 12 has excellent high-quality weldability. It is a high-strength alloy that provides good strength at high temperatures. Grade 12 titanium has characteristics similar to 300 series stainless steels.

Its ability to be shaped in a variety of ways makes it useful in many applications. The alloy's high corrosion resistance also makes it invaluable for manufacturing equipment. Class 12 can be used in the following industries:

  • heat exchangers;
  • hydrometallurgical applications;
  • chemical production at elevated temperatures;
  • maritime and air components.

Ti5Al-2.5Sn

Ti 5Al-2.5Sn is an alloy that can provide good weldability with resistance. It also has high temperature stability and high strength.

Ti 5Al-2.5Sn is mainly used in the aviation sector and also in cryogenic applications.