Titanium products can blend in with our everyday life in various ways
You could say that aerospace is suitable for making the most of the properties of titanium, such as light-weight, high strength, and excellent corrosion resistance. Titanium that can realize light-weight while maintaining strength is a material essential for evolution of aircraft whose goal is not only the pursuit of economic performance, but also further improvement of fuel efficiency.
| Features | Light-weight, high strength, and high corrosion resistance |
|---|---|
| Examples of purposes of use |
Jet engine parts (such as fans and compressors), structural materials for aircraft bodies, fuel tanks, landing gears, bolts, and springs |
Reasons why titanium is chosen
About half of the global demand for titanium is from aerospace. Titanium began to be used in large amounts in the 1960s primarily as a material for jet engines owing to its characteristics of being light and strong, and it is also used in parts of the aircraft body, including the landing gear, leading edge, and bolts.
In addition, as light Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) is used in the many parts of the aircraft body, titanium, which has a thermal expansion coefficient close to that of CFRP and has no issues of corrosion, is being used more broadly because it is highly compatible with CFRP.
General industry
Various chemical plants
Titanium, which is relatively resistant to corrosion by a number of chemicals and seawater, is utilized widely in plants, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants, seawater desalination plants, and chemical plants.
| Features | Light-weight, high strength, and high corrosion resistance |
|---|---|
| Examples of purposes of use |
Turbine blades, seawater desalination equipment and condensers at power/seawater desalination plants; electrodes, storage tanks, plumbing, and bulbs at chemical plants/electrolysis facilities |
Tank truck
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Regarding tank trucks that carry such chemicals as sodium hypochlorite and sodium chromate, light-weight, highly corrosion-resistant, and strong titanium is used as a material for tanks.
Heat exchanger
Titanium is used as a safe and economical material for heat exchangers that are used under harsh conditions, including high temperature and high pressure.
Construction
Architecture and monuments
With its light-weight, long-term durability, and material texture being recognized, titanium is used for roofs of traditional chinese architecture, museums, and roofs and exteriors of domed stadiums and has now earned a reputation as the new and best building material.
Sporting and leisure goods
Titanium is used in a wider range of applications in our daily life, including not only golf clubs, but also tennis rackets, wristwatches, glasses, knives, jewelry, and sculptures.
| Features | Light-weight, high strength, fashionability, high corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility |
|---|---|
| Examples of purposes of use |
Golf equipment, tennis rackets, ski goods, bicycles, and mountain-climbing gear |
Titanium driver heads
Titanium alloy is used for the head of drivers. Driver heads made of titanium are gaining popularity because light and large heads improve a flying distance and direction accuracy.
Daily necessities
Wristwatches and glasses
Titanium, which possesses such properties as light-weight, corrosion resistance, biocompatibility (which means that it does not trigger metal allergies), and moderate springiness, is used widely as a material for glass frames. It is also used for wristwatches for the same reason, and the luxurious texture of titanium is one of its selling points.
Jewelry
Titanium is used broadly for jewelry, including pierced earrings, clip-on earrings, necklaces, tiepins, and cufflinks, because it is light, does not cause metal allergies, and has unique texture and fashionability.
Kitchen knives and other knives
Titanium is suited for kitchen knives because it causes no harm to the human body and is sanitary. It has superior properties, such as light-weight and user friendliness, while titanium knives can be kept sharp six times longer than stainless knives.
Health
As titanium is highly biocompatible and seldom induces metallic allergy, it is broadly utilized as a material for implants, such as artificial dental roots and artificial bones, and its application field is expanding.
| Features | Non-toxicity, biocompatibility, high corrosion resistance, and high strength |
|---|---|
| Examples of purposes of use |
Materials for artificial bones, heart valves, pacemakers, surgical instruments, dental roots, and shape-memory alloys |
Dental instruments made of titanium
In the dental field, many tools made of titanium alloy, which is lighter than steel, are used. Such tools made of titanium are superior to those made of stainless steel in corrosion resistance and strength.
Artificial dental roots
Since titanium is highly biocompatible and harmless to the human body, it is used as a material for artificial dental roots.
Offshore engineering
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| Features | High corrosion resistance and light-weight |
|---|---|
| Examples of purposes of use |
Runway D of the Haneda Airport, coating of steel pipe piles for corrosion prevention, marine bridge piers, and fittings |
Piers for Runway D of the Haneda Airport
Tokyo Wan Aqua-Line Expressway (titanium-coated bridge piers)
Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) plants
Ocean thermal energy conversion, which is attracting attention as a new power generation method, generates power by circulating the mixture of ammonia and water based on the variation in seawater temperature. Titanium, which can tolerate seawater, is most suited for pipes and devices for realizing this power generation.