Titanium is a simple substance, and titanium alloys are a mixture. Therefore, titanium alloys have more diverse properties and wider uses.
Titanium alloy Concept definition: The alloy composed of titanium as the base and adding other alloying elements is called titanium alloy. Titanium alloy has the advantages of low density, high specific strength, good corrosion resistance, and good process performance. It is an ideal structural material for aerospace engineering.
Research scope: Titanium alloys can be divided into structural titanium alloys and heat-resistant titanium alloys, or α-type titanium alloys, β-type titanium alloys and α+β-type titanium alloys. The research scope also includes titanium alloy forming technology, powder metallurgy technology, rapid solidification technology, military and civilian use of titanium alloys.
Titanium alloy is a new type of structural material. It has excellent comprehensive properties, such as low density (~4.5g·cm-3), high specific strength and specific fracture toughness, good fatigue strength and crack growth resistance, and good low-temperature toughness. The corrosion resistance is excellent. The maximum working temperature of some titanium alloys is 550oC, which is expected to reach 700oC. Therefore, it has been widely used in aviation, aerospace, chemical, shipbuilding and other industrial sectors, and has developed rapidly. The relationship between light alloys, steel, etc. (σ0.2/density) and temperature, the specific strength of titanium alloys is higher than other light metals, Steel and nickel alloys, and this advantage can be maintained to around 500oC, so certain titanium alloys are suitable for manufacturing gas turbine components. About 80% of titanium production is used in the aviation and aerospace industries. For example, among the structural materials of the American B-1 bomber, titanium alloy accounts for about 21%, which is mainly used to manufacture the fuselage, wings, skins and load-bearing components. The body structure material of the F-15 fighter uses 7000kg of titanium alloy, which accounts for about 34% of the structural weight. Titanium alloy accounts for about 5% of the structural parts of the Boeing 757 passenger plane, and the amount is 3640 kg. The DC10 aircraft produced by Mc-Donnell-Dounlas has 5500kg of titanium alloy, which accounts for more than 10% of the weight of the structure. Titanium consumption in chemical and general engineering fields: the United States accounts for about 15% of its production, and Europe accounts for about 40%. Due to the excellent corrosion resistance, good mechanical properties, and qualified tissue compatibility of titanium and its alloys, it is used to make biological materials such as prostheses.