Titanium's exceptional resistance to corrosion in seawater surpasses that of all other metals. It maintains remarkable stability in static and high-flow seawater, making it the ideal material for desalination systems. The utilization of titanium in this domain is projected to expand substantially.
Lightweight with high strength: Titanium has a density of 4.51 g/cm³, higher than aluminum but lower than steel, copper, and nickel. However, it boasts the highest strength-to-density ratio among metals, being thrice that of stainless steel and 1.3 times that of aluminum alloys.
Excellent corrosion resistance: Titanium is an exceedingly reactive metal with a low equilibrium potential, indicating a high corrosion susceptibility in media. Nevertheless, titanium exhibits remarkable stability in numerous environments. It resists corrosion in oxidative, neutral, and weakly reducing media. This is attributed to titanium's strong affinity for oxygen, resulting in the formation of a dense, firmly adherent, and inert oxide film on its surface in the presence of air or oxygen-containing media. This oxide film shields the titanium base from corrosion. Even mechanical wear prompts rapid self-healing or regeneration of the oxide film. This exemplifies titanium's pronounced passivation tendency. The oxide film retains these characteristics as long as the medium temperature remains below 315°C.
Excellent heat transfer performance: Although titanium has lower thermal conductivity than carbon steel and copper, its outstanding corrosion resistance enables substantial reduction in wall thickness. Moreover, heat transfer between the titanium surface and steam occurs via dropwise condensation, minimizing fouling and reducing thermal resistance. Consequently, titanium exhibits significantly enhanced heat transfer performance.
Good heat resistance: Advanced titanium alloys can be employed for extended periods at temperatures of 600°C or higher.
Excellent low-temperature chemical resistance: Representative low-temperature titanium alloys, such as TA7 (Ti-5Al-2.5Sn), TC4 (Ti-6Al-4V), and Ti-2.5Zr-1.5Mo, exhibit superior strength characteristics with decreasing temperature, while experiencing minimal plastic deformation.
High tensile strength and yield strength: This property indicates a high ratio of tensile strength to yield strength, signifying reduced plastic deformation during titanium forming. The significant ratio between titanium's yield limit and elastic modulus confers substantial spring-back capability during forming.
