Titanium

Titanium, Ti, is a transition metal element, found in Group IVa of the periodic table.

Atomic Number : 22
Relative Atomic Mass : 47.9

Discovery

Titanium was discovered by W Gregor in 1791AD.
Titanium was first isolated by J J Berzelius in 1825AD.

Occurrence

Titanium is widely distributed and occurs at low concentration in most igneous rocks. The principal ore are

Rutile, TiO2 (tetrahedral structure),
Brookite, TiO2 (orthorhombic structure),
Anatase, TiO2 (orthorhombic structure),
Ilmenite, FeTiO3, and
Sphene or Titanite, CaO.SiO2.TiO2.

Manufacture

Titanium is isolated by heating a mixture of its rutile ore and charcoal with chlorine at 700 to 1000 degC.

                2 TiO2  +  3 C   +  4 Cl2   ==>  2 TiCl4  +  2 CO  +  CO2

The resulting titanium tetrachloride is then reduced with magnesium metal.

Properties

Titanium is a soft light lustrous metal, which is difficult to obtain on account of the ease with which it reacts with oxygen, nitrogen, Carbon, and Silicon.

Reactions

Uses

Titanium is used

in alloys in the aircraft and marine industries, and
in Titanium-Steel.

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