Types of Titanium Alloys

Titanium is considered to be one of the strongest metals. Its strength, heat, water and salt
resistance, and its light weight make it the ideal metal for a variety of applications. These
applications range from jewelry and dental implants to airplanes and ships. Pure titanium is
strong and corrosive resistant. Titanium alloys retain the same strength and corrosion
resistance, but takes on the greater flexibility and malleability of the metal it is combined
with. Titanium alloys, therefore, have more applications than pure titanium. There are six
grades of pure titanium (grades 1,2,3,4,7 and 11) and 4 varieties of titanium alloys. Titanium
alloys typically contain traces of aluminum, molybdenum, vanadium, niobium, tantalum,
zirconium, manganese, iron, chromium, cobalt, nickel, and copper.

Ti 6Al-4V (Grade 5)

Ti-6AL-4V is the most commonly used of the titanium alloys. It is therefore commonly
referred to as the titanium alloy “workhorse.” It is believed to be used in half of the usage of
titanium around the world.

These desirable properties make Ti-6AL-4V a popular choice in several industries including
medical, marine, aerospace and chemical processing. Ti 6AL-4V is commonly used to make:

 Aircraft turbines
 Engine components
 Aircraft structural components
 Aerospace fasteners
 High-performance automatic parts
 Marine applications
 Sports equipment

Ti 6AL-4V ELI (Grade 23)

Ti 6 AL-4V ELI is commonly referred to surgical titanium because of its use in surgery. It is
a more pure version of Grade 5 (Ti 6AL-4V) titanium alloy. It can be easily molded, and cut
into small strands, coils, and wires.

It has the same strength, and high corrosion resistance as Ti 6AL-4V. It is also light-weight
and is highly tolerant to damage by other alloys. Its use is highly desirable in the medical and
dental fields for uses in complex surgical procedures not only because of these properties but
also because of the unique surgical properties Ti 6AL-4V ELI has. It has superior
biocompatibility making it easy to graft in and attach to bone all the while being accepted by
the human body. Some of the more common surgical procedures Ti 6AL-4V ELI is used in
include:

 Orthopedic pins and screws

 Orthopedic cables
 Ligature clips
 Surgical staples
 Springs
 Orthodontic appliances
  In joint replacements
 Cryogenic vessels
 Bone fixation devices

Ti 3Al 2.5 (Grade 12)

Ti 3 AI 2.5 is the titanium alloy with the best weldability. It is also strong at high
temperatures like the other titanium alloys. This grade 12 titanium alloy is unique in that it
exhibits characteristics of stainless steel (one of the other strong metals), such as being
heavier than the other titanium alloys.

Ti 3 Al 2.5 is most commonly used in the manufacturing industry, specifically in equipment.

It is highly resistant to corrosion and can be formed by heat or cold. Grade 12 titanium alloy
is used the most in the following industries and applications:

 Shell and heat exchangers

 Hydrometallurgical applications
 Elevated temperature chemical manufacturing
 Marine and airfare components

Ti 5Al-2.5Sn (Grade 6)

Ti 5Al-2.5Sn is a non-heat treatable alloy that can achieve good weldability with stability. It
also possesses high temperature stability, high strength, and good corrosion resistance. It has
a uniquely high creep (plastic-like strain over long periods of time, usually caused by extreme
temperatures) resistance. Ti 5Al-25.Sn is mostly used in aircraft and airframe applications.

Titanium as a whole is a highly durable and strong metal. In its pure form it has many uses. It
alloys add greater malleability and flexibility to the already strong metal, opening up doors to
many more applications. Each titanium alloy shares the same strength and corrosion
resistance. They vary on flexibility, making a specific alloy ideal for specific industries and
applications. At the Titanium Processing Center, you can find a large selection of both pure
and titanium alloy grades for your project. Call us today to schedule your order or to ask a
question.

Titanium

Titanium has become a popular metal in the chemical, medical and military industries
because of its strength, durability, corrosion resistance and light-weight. It has a similar
melting point as Zirconium (3,000 degrees Fahrenheit). It is also paramagnetic and displays
fairly low electrical and thermal conductivity.
Titanium Pros and Cons
Pros

 Light-weight
 Has limited magnetic properties
 Has low electrical and thermal conductivity
 Durable and long-lasting
 Is corrosive resistant to many acids and bases as well as salt water

Cons

 One of the more expensive types of metal

 Hard to cast
 Not as flexible, hypoallergenic, or bacteria resistant as Zirconium

Industries

Titanium’s light-weight, strength and resistance to corrosion has made it popular in use of a
variety of industries including medical, dental, manufacturing, chemical processing,
aerospace, military, golf, automotive and nuclear power plants.

Which One is Better?

Both Zirconium and titanium are strong, long-lasting, corrosion-resistant metals that are ideal
for many demanding projects. In most cases, either one would work. Titanium is more
expensive, but the demand for Zirconium is increasing, which may lower the cost of titanium.

Some industries, such as in dentistry, now prefer Zirconium because of its low electrical
conductivity and better hypoallergenic properties.

At Titanium Processing Center, we have both Zirconium and titanium available for your
project. Get a free instaQuote today!

Zirconium
Zirconium is a non-toxic biocompatible metal. Compared with other biocompatible metallic
materials in use today, zirconium based materials can offer two unique properties for
orthopaedic and dental implant applications, in addition to their good mechanical properties
and outstanding corrosion resistance. One is the formation of an intrinsic bone-like
intermediate surface layer in body environments, and the other is their low magnetic
susceptibility. The second property is particularly important for magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI).

Since both the quality and speed of MRI depend on the magnetic field strength, it is desirable
to raise the magnetic field strength to the range of 3.0-7.0T from the present 1.0-1.5T.
However, current metallic implant materials such as stainless steels, cobalt-chromium alloys
(with high magnetic susceptibility) and titanium alloys can get magnetized under the 3.0-7.0T
magnetic field conditions. The consequences include heat generation in the implants,
loosening and dislocation of the implants, and unspecified artifacts in the MRI images.
The magnetic susceptibility of human cortical bone is about -8.9×10-6. In general, the MRI-
compatible magnetic susceptibility of an implant material is expected to be less than about
10×10-6. Of the biocompatible strong and ductile metals, zirconium offers very low magnetic
susceptibility but it is still well above the compatible level. Preliminary research has
suggested that through the introduction of carefully selected elements into zirconium, known
as “alloying”, it is possible to reduce the magnetic susceptibility of zirconium to the MRI-
compatible range while making the resultant zirconium alloys mechanically more suitable for
implant applications. Researchers at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT),
Australia are investigating MRI-compatible zirconium alloys for orthopaedic applications. A
recent paper published in Advanced Engineering Materials by Professor Ma Qian and his
team provides an informative and insightful review of the biocompatibility, magnetic
susceptibility and mechanical properties of commercially pure zirconium and zirconium
alloys. In addition, alloy design principles are discussed for the development of novel
zirconium alloys with respect to future 3.0-7.0T MRI systems.