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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