Introduction To Titanium

Titanium is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ti, atomic number 22, and is located in Period 4, Group IVB on the periodic table of chemical elements. It is a silvery-white transition metal characterized by its light weight, high strength, metallic luster, and resistance to corrosion by wet chlorine gas.

Titanium is considered a rare metal due to its dispersed presence in nature and difficulty in extraction. However, it is relatively abundant, ranking tenth among all elements. The main ores of titanium are ilmenite and rutile, which are widely distributed in the earth's crust and lithosphere. Titanium is also found in almost all living things, rocks, water bodies and soil. Titanium is extracted from the major ores using the Kroll or Hunt method. The most common compound of titanium is titanium dioxide, which is used to make white pigments. Other compounds include titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) (used as a catalyst and in the manufacture of smokescreens or aerial letters) and titanium trichloride (TiCl3) (used to catalyze the production of polypropylene).