Titanium
Element 22 · Transition Metal
Titanium is a lustrous, silvery transition metal famous for combining the strength of steel with about 45 percent less weight. A thin, self-healing oxide layer makes it exceptionally resistant to corrosion, even in seawater, and its biocompatibility makes it the standard material for surgical implants.
Discovered in 1791 and named after the Titans of Greek mythology, titanium underpins modern aviation, and its dioxide compound is the brilliant white pigment in paints, plastics, paper, and sunscreen. Its high cost comes from difficult extraction, so engineers reserve it for jobs where nothing else performs as well.
Key facts
| Atomic number | 22 |
|---|---|
| Atomic weight | 47.867 |
| Category | Transition Metal |
| Group / Period | 4 / 4 |
| Block | d |
| Electron configuration | [Ar] 3d2 4s2 |
| Common oxidation states | +4, +3, +2 |
| State at STP | Solid |
| Electronegativity | 1.54 |
| Atomic radius | 176 pm |
| Density | 4.506 g/cm³ |
| Melting point | 1668 °C |
| Boiling point | 3287 °C |
Occurrence
Titanium is the ninth most abundant element in Earth's crust, found mainly in the minerals rutile (titanium dioxide) and ilmenite (iron titanium oxide). Despite its abundance it was difficult to isolate as a pure metal; the Kroll process of the 1940s finally made commercial production practical.
Applications
Aircraft frames and jet engine parts exploit its strength-to-weight ratio
Medical implants such as hip joints and dental fixtures use biocompatible titanium
Titanium dioxide is the world's dominant white pigment in paint, paper, and sunscreen
Desalination plants use titanium tubing for seawater corrosion resistance
Sports equipment like golf clubs and racing bicycles use titanium alloys
Common compounds
- titanium dioxide
- titanium tetrachloride
- titanium carbide
- titanium nitride
Titanium is the only element that burns in pure nitrogen gas.
Data source: IUPAC standard atomic weights 2021