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Titanium - Applications

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Topics Covered
Background
Aerospace Applications
Jet Engines
Airframes
Industrial Applications
Power Generation
Chemical Processing
Petroleum
Other Industries
Emerging Applications
Computer Industry
Automotive Industry
Geothermal Power
Composites
Specialised Applications
Human Implants
Armour Applications
Other Applications

Background
Titanium is absolutely immune to environmental attack, regardless of pollutants. Where other
architectural metals exhibit limited lifespan, titanium endures. It withstands urban pollution,
marine environments, the sulphur compounds of industrial areas and is failure-proof in even
more aggressive environments. Because it is the most noble metal, the coupling of titanium
with dissimilar metals does not accelerate galvanic corrosion of the titanium.
These properties make titanium perfect for use in many applications.

Aerospace Applications
Since the advent of the jet engine, titanium has been used in new alloys and production
techniques to meet ever tighter standards for high-temperature performance, creep
resistance, strength, and metallurgical structure.
Through triple melting, or in some cases, electron beam cold hearth melting, the highest
quality titanium metal alloys are achieved. These alloys are used in aerospace applications
such as engines and airframes.

Jet Engines
Titanium is used for critical jet engine rotating applications. In the newest technology jet
engines, wide chord titanium fan blades increase efficiency while reducing noise.

Airframes
In the airframe structural market, innovative alloys replace steel and nickel alloys in landing
gear and nacelle applications. These substitutions enable airframe manufacturers to save
weight and improve aircraft efficiency.
Aircraft quality plate and sheet are hot-rolled from forged slab. To achieve critical plate flatness
vacuum creep flattening is used. Superplastic forming/diffusion bonding has led to increased
use of titanium alloy sheet in new airframe designs.
Aircraft quality strip, in commercially pure grades and beta alloys is produced in coil form with
continuous vacuum annealing assuring extremely low hydrogen content.
With each new design, commercial aircraft manufacturers increase the use of titanium in
airframes.

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Industrial Applications
The uses for titanium in industry are growing faster than ever before as more and more
engineers are discovering it can reduce lifecycle costs across a broad range of equipment and
processes. Titanium has an exceptionally high strength to weight ratio. Titanium's favourable
density (approximately half that of ferrous and nickel based metals) means that when
equipment costs are calculated on a per unit area of measure basis, rather than per pound, the
differential cost of material required narrows dramatically. In other words, about half as much
titanium is required to do the same job, based on strength, or the same weight of titanium will
go twice as far. Further closing the gap, when applied properly, titanium requires no corrosion
allowance; pressure and structural requirements for the system are the only criteria for
specifying wall thickness. Any remaining higher up front costs are almost always recouped in
multiple due to increased production time and reduced maintenance.
Titanium forms a very tenacious surface oxide layer, which is an outstanding corrosion
inhibitor. In many harsh environments it can outlast competing materials as much as 5:1.
Lower failure rates translate to less downtime, reduced maintenance and total lower cost. As a
result, titanium has found a home in numerous industries ranging from power generation to
chemical processing to desalination plants.

Power Generation
In power generating plants, where saline, brackish or polluted waters are used as the cooling
medium, titanium thin wall condenser tubing will last for the life of the condenser (with a
40-year warranty against failure under proper conditions) and eliminate the need for a
corrosion allowance.

Chemical Processing
Many chemical processing operations specify titanium to increase equipment life. It offers
lifecycle cost advantages over copper, nickel and stainless steel grades, while providing initial
cost advantages over materials such as high nickel alloys, tantalum and zirconium.

Petroleum
In petroleum exploration and production, titanium pipe's light weight and flexibility make it an
excellent material for deep sea production risers. In addition, titanium's immunity to attack by
sea water makes it the preferred material for topside water management systems. It is used
on existing platforms in the North Sea and many more projects are in the planning stages. And
since it shows virtually no corrosion in salt water, titanium is also the material of choice in
desalination plants worldwide.

Other Industries
Titanium alloys are used in dozens of other industrial purposes, such as flue gas
desulphurisation for pollution control, PTA plants for polyester production, pressure vessels,
heat exchangers, and hydrometallurgial autoclaves. Each grade is tailored to specific operating
conditions, emphasizing strength for different pressures, alloy content for different corrosive
agents and ductility for different fabrication requirements.

Emerging Applications
Pursuing, developing and supporting new uses for titanium is a priority for the titanium
industry. This includes help for companies that are developing new uses for titanium, by
providing dependable metal supply, advanced metallurgical design and expertise, and in some
cases capital support.

Computer Industry
In the computer industry, titanium is a promising substrate for hard disk drives. Compared to
aluminium, which is the primary material currently used, titanium provides significant
advantages. Its non-magnetic properties prevent interference with the data storage process;
its ability to withstand heat allows higher temperatures during the coating process, which
improves manufacturing rates; and the purity of titanium permits closer read/write head
tolerances, increasing disk capacity.

Automotive Industry
In the automotive industry, uses are being developed for titanium in the
automotive/motorcycle after markets and racing market. Engine parts such as connecting
rods, wrist pins, valves, valve retainers and springs, rocker arms and camshafts, to name a
few, lend themselves to fabrication from titanium, because it is durable, strong, lightweight
and resists heat and corrosion. While titanium initially may be more expensive for these
applications, designs that exploit its unique characteristics yield parts that more than pay for
themselves with better performance and a longer life.
An all-titanium exhaust system is also being developed to reduce weight and increase
longevity. Use of titanium on production vehicles is also being evaluated for engine parts to

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improve efficiencies and suspension springs to increase interior space.

Geothermal Power
There are new opportunities in geothermal power generation, where highly caustic steam
released from the earth is captured to generate electricity. The low lifecycle cost of titanium in
these applications provides significant savings compared to competing materials.

Composites
Titanium is being widely used in metal matrix composites. As the cost of fabricating these
exceptionally strong, lightweight components declines, their popularity and the utilization of
titanium will grow.

Specialised Applications
Promoting unique, non-traditional uses for titanium Titanium's unique combination of
attributes - light weight, high strength, biocompatibility, and durability in extreme
environments - make it an excellent material for a variety of non-traditional applications.

Human Implants
Titanium is completely inert to human body fluids, making it ideal for medical replacement
structures such as hip and knee implants. Titanium actually allows bone growth to adhere to
the implants, so they last longer than those made of other materials. Reconstructive titanium
plates and mesh that support broken bones are also commonly used today.

Armour Applications
High strength-to-weight ratio and superior ballistic properties make titanium well suited for
armour applications. Used as protective armour on personnel carriers and tanks, it makes the
vehicles much lighter, increasing mobility of the force. Personal armour vests and helmets for
police made from titanium are far lighter and more comfortable than those made from
competing materials.

Other Applications
Titanium is also now found in a wide variety of consumer products such as jewellery, watch
cases, eyeglasses, bicycles and clocks. The golf industry has found that lightweight titanium
club heads can be bigger than those made of steel, enlarging the "sweet spot" of the club and
thus increasing distance and accuracy.

Source: Timet

For more information on this source please visit Timet

Date Added: Mar 4, 2002 | Updated: Apr 1, 2014

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