Periodic Table

Titanium

Transition Metal

Quick Facts about Titanium

Sc
  • solid- state of matter at room temperature
  • Stable- has at least one stable isotope
  • +4, +3, +2- common oxidation states in compounds
  • HEX- crystal structure, atomic arrangement in solid form
V

Titanium (Ti) is element 22 on the periodic table. Atomic mass of Ti: 47.8670 u. Ti is in period 4, group 4. Melting point of Ti: 1941.00 K.Density of Ti: 4.51 g/cm³.

Why Titanium Matters

The aerospace metal that's also in your white paint and sunscreen

In Your Home

  • White paint (titanium dioxide pigment)
  • Sunscreen (TiO2 blocks UV)
  • Some jewelry and watches
  • Golf clubs and bicycle frames

Industry Uses

AerospaceAircraft and spacecraft components (SR-71, SpaceX)
MedicalOrthopedic implants and dental implants
PaintTiO2 is the most widely used white pigment
DefenseArmor plating and submarine hulls

In Your Body

✗ Not essential

No biological role, but highly biocompatible. Used for implants because bone grows onto titanium surfaces. Non-toxic and non-allergenic.

Safety: Metallic titanium is non-toxic. TiO2 nanoparticles raise some inhalation concerns, but bulk TiO2 is safe.

Discovery of Titanium

Discovered by William Gregor in England, 1791

Name origin: Greek: titanos (Titans).

History & Events

1791
Discovery
William Gregor discovered titanium in Cornwall, England
1948
Kroll Process
William Kroll developed commercial extraction process still used today
1964
SR-71 Blackbird
Lockheed's titanium-skinned spy plane flew 3x speed of sound

About Titanium

White metallic transition element. Occurs in numerous minerals. Used in strong, light corrosion-resistant alloys. Forms a passive oxide coating when exposed to air. First discovered by Gregor in 1789.

Atomic Properties of Ti

Atomic Number of Ti
22
Atomic Mass of Ti
47.8670 u
Electron Configuration
[Ar] 3d2 4s2
Electronegativity
1.54
Block
d-block
Group
4
Period
4

Physical Properties of Ti

Phase (STP)
solid
Melting Point of Ti
1941.00 K
Boiling Point of Ti
3560.00 K
Density of Ti
4.5060 g/cm3

Thermal Properties

Heat of Fusion
18.80 kJ/mol
Heat of Vaporization
422.60 kJ/mol
Specific Heat
0.52 J/g·K
Molar Heat Capacity
25.06 J/mol·K
Thermal Conductivity
21.90 W/m·K

Atomic Radii

Calculated
140 pm
Covalent
136 pm
Van der Waals
211 pm
Metallic
132 pm

Common Misconceptions

Wrong:Titanium is super rare.
Correct:Titanium is the 9th most abundant element in Earth's crust—extraction difficulty makes it expensive.
Wrong:Titanium is lighter than aluminum.
Correct:Titanium is actually 60% denser than aluminum. Its strength-to-weight ratio is what makes it special.
Wrong:Titanium doesn't corrode.
Correct:Titanium instantly forms a protective oxide layer, making it corrosion-resistant but not corrosion-proof.

Isotopes of Titanium

Titanium has 5 naturally occurring isotopes.

IsotopeAtomic Mass (u)AbundanceHalf-LifeDecay Mode
4622Ti (Ti-46)Titanium-46 isotope45.952627728.250%
4722Ti (Ti-47)Titanium-47 isotope46.951758797.440%
4822Ti (Ti-48)Titanium-48 isotope47.9479419873.72%
4922Ti (Ti-49)Titanium-49 isotope48.947865685.410%
5022Ti (Ti-50)Titanium-50 isotope49.944786895.180%

Data source: NIH PubChem (aggregated from IUPAC, NIST)

Isotope Applications

Isotopes of Titanium have important real-world applications in science and industry.

Industrial Applications

The isotope-amount ratio n(48Ti)/n(49Ti) has been used in Isotope Ratio Method (IRM) analysis (initial titanium ratio/final titanium ratio) to estimate the energy production of nuclear reactors. This ratio can also be used to confirm that a reactor is being used for non-proliferation purposes (purposes other than to assist in the formation of nuclear weapon grade materials) [201].

Abundance

Earth's Crust
5.7 g/kg
Seawater
1.00 μg/kg

Uses

Since it is strong and resists acids it is used in many alloys. Titanium dioxide (TiO2), a white pigment that covers surfaces very well, is used in paint, rubber, paper and many others.

Sources

Usually occurs in the minerals ilmenite (FeTiO3) or rutile (TiO2). Also in Titaniferous magnetite, titanite (CaTiSiO5), and iron ores. Pure metal produced by heating TiO2 with C and Cl2 to produce TiCl4 then heated with Mg gas in Ar atmosphere.

Geochemistry

Goldschmidt
litophile
Geochemical Class
first series transition metal

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