Titanium was first discovered in 1791 by an English man called William Gregor. The term “titanium” derives its meaning from the word “titan” in ancient mythology, referring to creatures with supernatural powers; the metal`s remarkable properties have earned it its current name. Nowadays, titanium is widely used in manufacturing, encompassing a wide range of sectors. The Arian Fateh Shargh‘s present article is an attempt to discuss titanium and its utilization in various areas.
As mentioned above, titanium was first discovered by an English clergyman, Willian Gregor, in the southwest of England. Titanium and its various alloys have been used in various industries, including aerospace and sports, for over half a century now. Titanium`s remarkable properties have long been the source of amusement and marvel for engineers; for instance, in its pure form, it possesses a flexible and fragile nature but turns into an extremely powerful alloy, even stronger than steel, once mixed with such other elements as tin and chromium. This has been a primary reason for the considerable growth in titanium`s utilization in various manufacturing industries in the last 50 years.
Titanium, with the symbol Ti and the atomic number 22, falls under the transition metals in the periodic table. In addition to minerals, titanium can be found in plants as well, such as stinging nettle. Other properties of the material include its lustrous appearance, strong nature, resistance to corrosion, and low density. Moreover, another useful quality of titanium is its remarkably high melting point, as a result of which it is often used as a refractory metal. It is also interesting to know that titanium is considered a paramagnetic material and, unlike other metals, has a very low electrical resistivity and conductivity rate.
The commercial process used to produce titanium involves titanium(IV) chloride being reacted with magnesium. Titanium(IV) dioxide is commercially produced through the sulfate process or the purification of chloride. Both processes use ilmenite as raw material. Before we discuss titanium`s wide range of applications in the manufacturing industry, you should know the various compounds that this magnificent and mysterious element possesses. The element has various compounds, each of which has been mentioned below along with its applications.
One of Titanium`s most common compounds is titanium dioxide, a very popular photocatalyst used in the production of white pigment. The compound is also used in the production of sunscreens, cosmetics, ceramics, tires, and cloth. Other titanium compounds include the following:
Titanium is strong like steel but with a much lower density. Thus, it is used as an alloy component with other metals such as aluminum, iron, and molybdenum. Titanium has a wide range of applications in the manufacturing industries, including the following:
In addition to the applications mentioned above, titanium is widely used in the medical field since it is considered a friendly material to the human body, posing no risks to human health. The following section gives a summary of the metal`s use in the medical field.
Common applications of titanium in the medical industry are as follows:
The present article attempted to give a general overview of titanium application in various manufacturing industries and the medical field. Titanium is commonly referred to as “the metal of the future” by scientists. Due to its magnificent properties, it is widely utilized across different industries.
