Titanium alloys find primary applications in aircraft engine compressor components, followed by rockets, missiles, and high-speed aircraft structural parts. By the mid-1960s, titanium and its alloys were also utilized in various industries, including electrolysis electrodes, power station condensers, oil refining heaters, seawater desalination heaters, and pollution control devices. These alloys have gained recognition as corrosion-resistant structural materials. Additionally, they are used in the production of hydrogen storage materials and shape memory alloys.
China initiated its study of titanium and titanium alloys in 1956, and by the mid-1960s, titanium materials were industrialized, leading to the development of the TB2 alloy.
Titanium alloy is a critical structural material in the aerospace industry. It possesses a specific gravity, strength, and service temperature range between aluminum and steel, with higher strength compared to aluminum and steel. Moreover, it exhibits excellent resistance to seawater corrosion and performs well under ultra-low temperatures. In the 1950s, the United States utilized titanium alloy for non-load-bearing components such as the heat shield, air hood, and tail cover of the F-84 fighter-bomber fuselage. From the 1960s, titanium alloy gradually transitioned from the rear fuselage to the middle fuselage, partially replacing structural steel to manufacture important load-bearing components like frames, beams, flaps, and slides. The utilization of titanium alloy in military aircraft increased rapidly, constituting 20 to 25 percent of the aircraft structure's weight. Since the 1970s, civil aircraft have extensively employed titanium alloy, with examples such as the Boeing 747 aircraft incorporating over 3,640 kilograms of titanium. In aircraft with Mach numbers exceeding 2.5, titanium is primarily used instead of steel to reduce structural weight. For instance, the American SR-71 high-altitude, high-speed reconnaissance aircraft (Mach number 3, 26,212 meters) consisted of 93% titanium in its structure, earning the moniker of an "all titanium" aircraft. As aero-engine thrust-to-weight ratios increased from 4-6 to 8-10 and compressor outlet temperatures rose from 200-300°C to 500-600°C, aluminum low-pressure compressor discs and blades were replaced by titanium alloy counterparts. Similarly, stainless steel was substituted with titanium alloy for high-pressure compressor discs and blades, effectively reducing structural weight. In the 1970s, titanium alloy accounted for approximately 20% to 30% of the total weight of aero-engine structures, mainly used for manufacturing compressor components such as forged titanium fans, compressor discs, and blades, as well as cast titanium compressor casings, intermediary casings, and bearing housings. In the aerospace industry, spacecraft predominantly employ titanium alloys with high specific strength, corrosion resistance, and low-temperature performance for various applications, including pressure vessels, fuel tanks, fasteners, instrument straps, frames, and rocket housings. Titanium plate welding pieces are also utilized in the construction of artificial satellites, lunar modules, manned spacecraft, and space shuttles.
