Titanium alloy is born when titanium is combined with additional metals, crafting a new metallic material. Generally, the additional metals consist of little portions of tin, palladium, aluminum, or vanadium. The titanium alloys are fashioned so that they upgrade certain properties of titanium needed for some types of work, as compared to pure titanium.
In general, titanium is considered a superior metal considering its crowning characteristics of corrosion resistance, strength and solidity at high temperatures and weldability (fabricability). As pure titanium is incredibly hard, welding or shaping it becomes a challenge. Various alloys of differing metals generally contain small amounts of titanium; yet, they are not rendered as titanium alloys due to the titanium not being the majority of substance in the combination.
Thirty-eight kinds of titanium alloy exist. Typically, a mix is comprised of 4% vanadium, 90% titanium, and 6% aluminum. This mixture is called Grade 5. Grade 5 is referred to as Titanium 6AL-4V as well, and is rendered suitable for military use. Grade 5 will remain stable in applications with temperatures that get up to 752 degrees Fahrenheit. It is usually utilized in aircraft turbines, which become quite hot after rotating very quickly. Titanium is available in grades 1-38, used simply for referencing reasons. Earlier grades continue to be the most commonly produced.
Frequently viewed as a wonder metal, titanium is terrifically light while it is elevated in strength. In reality, it is comes close to being twice as strong as aluminum, and nearly equals the strength of steel. Titanium is also 45 percent lighter in weight than steel and 40 percent lighter than aluminum. Additionally, titanium and the human body are not reactive, which makes it the ideal substance for implants. Alas, the high cost of titanium has kept its use limited, though new processes are continually being discovered that help make titanium more affordable with each passing decade.