Titianium Grades and Their Characteristics

Raw titanium.

Titanium is one of the most versatile substances available to modern industry. Its various uses and grades mean that there is a specific type of pure titanium, or an alloy of the metal, that can be adapted for all sorts of specific purposes.

There are 10 types of titanium, counting the four pure grades along with the six alloys of the metal. Each is used in specific industrial applications for which it has been specially treated or formed. Grades one through four are the numbered pure grades of titanium.

Grade 1 is not only corrosion resistant but is the most pliable of the pure grades, making it an ideal choice for industrial uses that include any kind of tubing or plate. Industries where Grade 1 titanium is common are architecture, the medical industry, and automotive components, to name a few. Grade 2 has much in common with Grade 1 but is slightly stronger, making it an ideal candidate for airframes, power generation equipment, and many marine applications. Grades 3 and 4 are both stronger than the other pure titanium grades, but are not as commonly used. However, they have found roles in the medical, chemical, and aerospace fields.

There are six titanium allows, also known as Grades 5, 7, 11, 12, 23, and 5Al-2.5Sn. While Grade 5 is the workhorse of the alloys, and comprises more than half of all titanium used globally, grades 7 and 11 include a small amount of palladium for extra corrosion resistance. The rest of the metal’s alloys display varying profiles of strength and corrosion resistance depending upon their uses. A few of the industries that use titanium alloys include dentistry, medical surgical equipment, chemical manufacturing, sports equipment and desalination components.

The alloy known as 5Al-2.5Sn shows very high temperature stability and is able to resist cracking, even at extreme temperatures for long time spans. Two industries that make the most use of this alloy are the cryogenic field and makers of aircraft frames. Grades 2 and 5 are the most commonly used versions of the metal. Grade 2 is pure while Grade 5 is an alloy that contains trace amounts of palladium. These two grades of the metal by far account for the majority of titanium in use all over the world today.

Overall, the metal tends to exhibit good corrosion resistance, high specific strength, and low specific gravity. In addition, titanium and many titanium alloys are non-magnetic and bio-compatible, two qualities that make it especially attractive to the medical field.