subject: All Relating To Titanium Alloys - The Way It Is Developed And Applied [print this page] Many industries and manufacturing yards nowadays make use of titanium and titanium alloys in many levels of their processes and applications. They take advantage of the properties of this unique metal in making sure that they are producing good quality consumer products and services. What exactly is titanium and what causes it a preferred option among companies?
Titanium is an element that has the symbol Ti. It is identified to have a low density, good luster, and great toughness to rust. It is silver in color and has an atomic number of 22.
Like most other metals, titanium can be employed to make alloys with many other metals for example molybdenum, iron, vanadium and aluminum. This is done to produce lightweight but tough alloys to be used in military, aerospace and engineering applications. Missiles, jet engines, spaceship, desalination plants, paper and pulp are the best known finished products of titanium alloys.
In a smaller scale, it can also be used in the food, farming, and medical domains. Dental implants, orthopedic implants, prostheses, endodontic devices, and other medical tools are often made of titanium and its alloys. Even basic accessories and gadgets like jewelry, sporting goods and cellular phones make use of this element.
When we speak of titanium alloys, we are referring to a mixture that resulted from combining titanium with other elements. They are clubbed into four general categories.
1. Alpha alloys - these are a mix of alpha additives (like aluminum and oxygen) and any neutral alloying items like tin.
2. Near-alpha alloys - these types contain a small tinge of pliable beta-phase (like silicon, vanadium, or molybdenum), combined with alpha-phase stabilizers.
3. Alpha and Beta alloys - these are generally metastable and are a combination of beta stabilizers and alpha stabilizers.
4. Beta Alloys - these types are also metastable and include enough amounts of beta stabilizers (like vanadium, silicon and molybdenum) that make them to remain in their beta phase even when quenched.
Titanium alloys include many properties. Titanium in the alpha-phase is normally tougher than titanium in beta-phase. However, the former is less ductile compared to the latter. If we look at the titanium metal alone, it is as durable, strong and steady as steel, but about half as light. When compared to aluminum, it is more than half as heavy but twice as sturdy. It also has excellent corrosion resistance, particularly to water, that is why it is often used in the manufacture of boat components.
