What is Titanium?
Titanium is a chemical element that is placed in the 4th group and 4th period in the periodic table. The symbol of the titanium element is Ti. It is a transition metal element with the atomic number 22. Titanium is the 2nd element of the first series of transition metals. Sc is present before titanium in the 1st series of transition elements and Zr is placed below titanium in the periodic table. Zr is also a transition metal that is a member of the 2nd series of transition elements. Titanium does not show any similarity in physical and chemical properties with Zr although they have the same number of valence electrons and are placed in the same group. As titanium is found in the 4th group, it is a d – block element. Titanium has a silvery grey-white metallic appearance.
Titanium was discovered by British clergyman and mineralogist William Gregor in 1791 and was first isolated by Jons Jakob Berzelius in 1825. The word titanium is taken from the Greek word Titans which is used in Greek mythology. According to Greek mythology, Titans are the sons of the Earth goddess. The element titanium was named by German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth.
Titanium is the 7th most abundant metallic element and 9th most abundant element in the Earth’s crust. It is mostly found as oxides in igneous rocks. It is also found in the lithosphere. Titanium is present in almost all living things, water bodies, rocks, and soil. For commercial use titanium is mostly obtained by extraction of ilmenite (FeTiO3) and rutile (TiO2) ores by mainly two processes either the Kroll process or the Hunter process.
Two allotropic forms of titanium can be found in nature. Five naturally occurring isotopes are available of titanium which are stable. Apart from these, it has many synthetic isotopes as well. Out of its synthetic isotopes, 44Ti is the most stable with a half-life of 63 years. Its 5 naturally occurring isotopes are – 46Ti, 47Ti, 48Ti, 49Ti, and 50Ti. Out of its naturally occurring isotopes, 48Ti is the most abundant isotope. Its alloys are also available with other elements such as iron, aluminum, vanadium, and molybdenum.
Titanium Atomic Number and Electronic Configuration
Atomic number of titanium is 22. Its electronic configuration is 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s23p6 3d2 4s2 or it can be written as
Ar-Ar 3d2 4s2. It has 2 electrons in K – shell, 8 electrons in L – shell, 10 electrons in M – shell, and 2 electrons in its outermost shell N.
Properties of Titanium
Physical and chemical properties of titanium – Physical and chemical properties of titanium are listed below –
It is found as solid at STP.
The standard atomic weight of titanium is 47.867.
It has a silvery grey-white metallic appearance.
Its melting point is 1668 ℃.
The boiling point of titanium is 3287 ℃.
It shows a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) crystal structure.
It has low density. Its density is 4.506 g cm-3.
It is a lustrous transition element that has high strength
According to the Pauling scale, its electronegativity is 1.54.
It has many isotopes. Its 5 isotopes are stable and occur naturally which are 46Ti, 47Ti, 48Ti, 49Ti, and 50Ti. Although its key isotope is 48Ti which is the most abundant isotope of titanium.
It is resistant to corrosion. It doesn’t get corroded by dilute sulfuric acid and hydrochloric acid.
It has the highest strength to density ratio among all metallic elements.
It is paramagnetic and has comparatively low electrical and thermal conductivity than other metals.
It is ductile and non-magnetic.
Reaction with oxygen – Titanium reacts with oxygen present in the air at 1200 ℃ temperature. The reaction is given below –
Ti + O2 1200℃→ TiO2
Reaction with water – Titanium reacts very slowly with water. The reaction is given below –
Ti + 2H2O → TiO2 + 2H2
Reaction with nitrogen – Titanium burns in pure nitrogen gas and forms titanium nitride. The reaction takes place at 800 ℃. The equation is given below –
2Ti + N2 → TiN
Reaction with halogens – Titanium reacts with halogens such as F, Cl, Br, and I. It reacts with chlorine at 550 ℃ and forms titanium tetrachloride. The reaction is given below –
Ti + 2Cl2 → TiCl4
With fluorine - Ti + 2F2 → TiF4
With bromine - Ti + 2Br2 → TiBr4
With iodine - Ti + 2l2 → Til4
Uses of Titanium
Titanium is very useful in various fields mainly due to its properties such as highest strength to density ratio and corrosion resistance etc. A few of its uses are listed below –
Titanium dioxide is used in manufacturing white pigments.
TiO2 is used as a photocatalyst in various reactions.
Titanium trichloride is used in the production of polypropylene and many other reactions as a catalyst.
Titanium tetrachloride is used in smoke screens. It is also used as a catalyst.
Titanium alloys are strong, durable, and lightweight so they are generally used in missiles, jet engines, and spacecraft.
It is also used in the military, automotive industry, paper and pulp industry, and agriculture.
Titanium in its powdered form is used in pyrotechnics.
In stainless steel, it is used to reduce the percentage of carbon content.
Titanium alloys are used for recreational purposes as well.
Titanium white pigments are used in paints, white papers, toothpaste, and plastics, etc.
It is used in fishing rods and golf clubs as a strengthening agent.
Its oxide TiO2 is used in cement and gemstones as well.
Due to its inertness and resistance to corrosion, titanium is also widely used in jewelry.
It is widely used in the medicinal field as well. It is mainly used in dental implants, joint replacements, etc.
It is used in cosmetics and electronics as well.
Adverse Effects of Titanium
Titanium is a non – toxic element and cannot be absorbed by tissues of human beings. This is the reason even if we ingest titanium by various means it doesn’t show any harmful effects on the body as it passes out of the body without being absorbed by it. Titanium in its powder form poses a significant fire hazard and explosion hazard.
Titanium Summary in Tabular Form
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Natural Abundance
Titanium is the planet's tenth most abundant element. It is nearly always found in igneous rocks and the sediments that form from them. It is found in the minerals ilmenite, rutile, and sphene, as well as titanates and numerous iron ores.
Commercially titanium is made by reducing titanium(IV) chloride with magnesium. The sulfate technique' and the 'chloride procedure,' both of which start with the mineral ilmenite, are used to produce titanium(IV) oxide commercially.
Titanium Dioxide
(TiO2), commonly known as titanium(IV) oxide or titania, is a naturally occurring titanium oxide. Titanium dioxide, a white pigment, is used in paintings (as titanium white or pigment white 6) and sunscreen due to its ability to refract light and absorb UV radiation. 95 percent of titanium mined is used to make titanium dioxide pigments, with the remaining 5 percent used to make chemicals, metals, carbides, and coatings(According to the US Geological Survey).
It is also widely used in medicine, cosmetics, and toothpaste, and is increasingly being utilized as a food additive (as E171) to whiten or make items appear more opaque. Frosting, chewing gum, marshmallows, and supplements are among the more popular food products containing E171.
FAQs on Titanium
1. What is titanium metal?
Titanium metal, symbol Ti, is the tenth most abundant element in the earth's crust. Although it is not found in big concentrations, minor amounts of titanium can be found in practically every rock. Titanium is a gleaming grey metal with a low corrosion rate and great strength that is employed in a variety of applications. William Gregor, an English chemist, and mineralogist discovered it in 1791 and thought it was a compound. He realized it was an autonomous element in 1795. Martin Heinrich Klaproth, a German chemist, later named it after the Titans of Greek mythology.
2. What are the uses of titanium oxide?
Pure titanium dioxide is a fine, white powder that is used to create a dazzling white pigment. Paints, coatings, adhesives, paper, plastics and rubber, printing inks, coated fabrics, and textiles, as well as ceramics, floor coverings, roofing materials, cosmetics, toothpaste, soap, water treatment agents, pharmaceuticals, food colorants, automotive products, sunscreen, and catalysts, have all used titanium dioxide for over a century.
Titanium dioxide may be found in two different forms. Pigment grade titanium dioxide is the most common type, accounting for almost 98 percent of total output. In applications requiring white opacity and brightness, the pigmentary form makes use of titanium dioxide's strong light-scattering qualities. Titanium dioxide can also be manufactured as an ultrafine (nanomaterial) product. When certain qualities, like transparency and maximal UV light absorption, are required, such as in cosmetic sunscreens, this shape is used.
3. What is the periodic placement of titanium?
Titanium is the first element in the periodic table, located in D-Block. It is a transition metal with the atomic number 22, which means it has 22 electrons and 22 protons; its atomic weight is 47.867 Daltons. Because of its electrical arrangement, titanium belongs to period 4 and group 4 of the periodic table. Titanium metal's final two electrons are located in the fourth orbital, resulting in the configuration 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d2 4s2. This electronic arrangement explains the element's chemical bonding as well as certain other properties.
4. Explain the occurrence of titanium?
Titanium is extensively spread and accounts for 0.44 percent of the earth's crust. Ninety percent (90%) of titanium is found in the earth's crust in the form of ilmenite minerals. Ilmenite minerals are iron titanium oxide (FeTiO3) compounds of iron, titanium, and oxygen. The remaining 10% titanium is found in the minerals anatase, perovskite, rutile, leucoxene, sphene, and others. These minerals can be found as compounds in sand, rocks, soils, and clays. It can be found in plants, natural waters, animals, stars, and meteorites, among other places.
5. Where can I find notes and questions on Titanium?
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