Titanium is a strong and lightweight metal alloy commonly used in various practical applications, including aerospace, medical, and military industries. It is also used in jewelry and as a component in gemstones and sunscreens. Titanium’s resistance to seawater corrosion makes it ideal for use in desalination plants and ships.
Titanium as a useful metal alloy was not commonly used until the late 1940s. It is most often alloyed with molybdenum, manganese, iron and aluminum. In terms of weight, it is one of the strongest metals readily available, making it ideal for a wide range of practical applications. It is 45% lighter than steel with comparable strength and twice as strong as aluminum, while being only 60% heavier.
As an element, titanium has an atomic number of 22. Its atomic mass is 47,867 amu, it has a relatively high boiling point of 3020°F (1660°C). It has several radioactive isotopes, including 44Ti, 45Ti and 51Ti, which are created when the element is bombarded with deuterons.
In commercial use, titanium alloys are used wherever strength and weight are an issue. Bicycle frames, automobile and aircraft parts, and structural pieces are some common examples. In medical use, pins made from this metal are used due to their non-reactive nature when in contact with bone and flesh. Many surgical tools, as well as piercings, are made of them for this reason as well.
Titanium is often used in desalination plants due to its strong resistance to seawater corrosion, particularly when coated with platinum. Many ships use metal to move components that are constantly exposed to seawater, such as propellers and rigging.
The military uses this item extensively for a wide variety of tasks. Rockets, airplanes and helicopters, submarines, and virtually all vehicle skins use significant amounts of titanium alloy. During the Cold War, the Russians built submarines from it to give them higher top speeds and greater pressure tolerance, allowing them to travel deeper.
In jewelry, titanium is one of the most popular metals. This is due to its ability to be colored easily and its relative inertness. Even people with hypersensitivity to metals are often not affected by jewelry made with it.
The commercial applications of this element are not limited to its metal alloys. Both rubies and star sapphires get their star-shaped reflection with the presence of titanium dioxide (TiO2), and the metal is then artificially produced for use in gemstones. TiO2 is also used extensively in sunscreens due to its shielding properties and as an all-purpose paint. Titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) is used in sky writing, where letters are written in the sky by a passing aircraft.
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