Titanium and Titanium Alloys

Titanium and titanium alloys are non-ferrous metals with excellent corrosion resistance, fatigue properties, and high strength-to-weight ratios. Products differ in terms of composition, grade, shape, dimensions, and features. Commercially pure, unalloyed or very low alloy titanium does not contain or contains only very small amounts of alloying elements. By contrast, titanium alloys contain significant amounts of added elements or constituents. Clad or bimetal titanium alloys consist of two different alloys that are bonded integrally together. Metal matrix composites have a composite or reinforced metal or alloy matrix filled with a second component, which may be in particulate, chopped fiber, continuous filament, or fabric form. Other unlisted, specialty or proprietary titanium and titanium alloys are also available. These materials are often based on a unique alloy system, use a novel processing technology, or have properties tailored for specific applications.   

Many titanium and titanium alloys meet the compositional standards of the Unified Numbering System (UNS), a specification established by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), and metal trade associations such as the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). The UNS assigns metals and alloys a lettered prefix and a five-digit number. Titanium and titanium alloys belong to the UNS R5 category and have designations such as UNS R50400. Extra low interstitial (ELI) grades have very low levels of oxygen, nitrogen or carbon and provide higher ductility and improved weldability. Other standards for titanium and titanium alloys include casting grades, European Norm (EN), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standards, and U.S. military specifications (MIL-SPEC). QQ and QQS prefixes are used to designate specific MIL-SPEC metals. 

Suppliers provide titanium and titanium alloys in many stock shapes and forms. Semi-finished stock shapes are suitable for part fabrication by machining, assembly, or other processes. They are also used as feedstock for casting, forging, and spinning. Common stock shapes and forms for titanium and titanium alloys include bars, rods, tubes, plates, profiles, sheets, strips, shims, spheres, foil, wire, billets, slabs, and blooms. Materials are also supplied as billets, ingots, powders, fillers, and reinforcements. Round, hexagonal, coil, and hollow stock are also available. There are two basic types of anodes. Plating anodes are in used in plating or electroplating processes. Sacrificial anodes are used to protect stainless steel or other metal structures from corrosion.   

Selecting titanium and titanium alloys requires an analysis of dimensions, production processes, and performance features. Outer diameter (OD), inner diameter (ID), overall length, and overall thickness are important dimensions. Most materials are cast, wrought, extruded, forged, cold-finished, hot-rolled, or formed by compacting powdered metals or alloys. Performance features for titanium and titanium alloys include resistance to corrosion, heat, and wear.

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