The Applications
of Titanium

Aerospace

• [Photograph provided by] ANA
• [Photograph provided by] IHI Corporation

You could say that aerospace is suitable for making the most of the properties of titanium, such as light-weight, high strength, and excellent corrosion resistance. Titanium that can realize light-weight while maintaining strength is a material essential for evolution of aircraft whose goal is not only the pursuit of economic performance, but also further improvement of fuel efficiency.

Reasons why titanium is chosen

About half of the global demand for titanium is from aerospace. Titanium began to be used in large amounts in the 1960s primarily as a material for jet engines owing to its characteristics of being light and strong, and it is also used in parts of the aircraft body, including the landing gear, leading edge, and bolts.
In addition, as light Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics (CFRP) is used in the many parts of the aircraft body, titanium, which has a thermal expansion coefficient close to that of CFRP and has no issues of corrosion, is being used more broadly because it is highly compatible with CFRP.

General industry

Various chemical plants

Titanium, which is relatively resistant to corrosion by a number of chemicals and seawater, is utilized widely in plants, such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants, seawater desalination plants, and chemical plants.

• Tank truck

  Regarding tank trucks that carry such chemicals as sodium hypochlorite and sodium chromate, light-weight, highly corrosion-resistant, and strong titanium is used as a material for tanks.

  

• Heat exchanger

  Titanium is used as a safe and economical material for heat exchangers that are used under harsh conditions, including high temperature and high pressure.

  [Photograph provided by] Alfa Laval AB

Construction

Architecture and monuments

With its light-weight, long-term durability, and material texture being recognized, titanium is used for roofs of traditional Japanese architecture, museums, and roofs and exteriors of domed stadiums and has now earned a reputation as the new and best building material.

• Spherical Observation Room of the headquarters building of Fuji Television Network, Inc.

• Side walls of Tokyo Big Sight
  [Photograph provided by] ©Satoru Mishima
• Hotel Marques de Riscal (Spain)
  [Photograph provided by] Nippon Steel Corporation

• Main Hall of Senso-Ji Temple

  Titanium is used increasingly for roofs of buildings because the appearance of Japanese traditional roof tiles can be maintained thanks to the improved titanium processing technology while titanium’s corrosion resistance and light-weight increase seismic resistance.

  [Photograph provided by] ©CANAME

• Kyushu National Museum

  The roof is made of blue color titanium (colored titanium).

  

Automobiles and motorcycles

Automobiles and motorcycles

• [Photograph provided by] Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
• [Photograph provided by] Nippon Steel Corporation

Titanium plays an active role in the field of automobiles and motorcycles as well. In particular, out of the parts of motorcycles, it is mufflers in which titanium is used most. Titanium is highly acclaimed for its heat resistance, strength, and rust-proof property as a material for mufflers used in severe conditions.

Daily necessities

Sporting and leisure goods

Titanium is used in a wider range of applications in our daily life, including not only golf clubs, but also tennis rackets, wristwatches, glasses, knives, jewelry, and sculptures.

Titanium driver heads

Titanium alloy is used for the head of drivers. Driver heads made of titanium are gaining popularity because light and large heads improve a flying distance and direction accuracy.

• [Photograph provided by] ©Mizuno Corporation

Daily necessities

Wristwatches and glasses

Titanium, which possesses such properties as light-weight, corrosion resistance, biocompatibility (which means that it does not trigger metal allergies), and moderate springiness, is used widely as a material for glass frames. It is also used for wristwatches for the same reason, and the luxurious texture of titanium is one of its selling points.

Jewelry

Titanium is used broadly for jewelry, including pierced earrings, clip-on earrings, necklaces, tiepins, and cufflinks, because it is light, does not cause metal allergies, and has unique texture and fashionability.

Kitchen knives and other knives

Titanium is suited for kitchen knives because it causes no harm to the human body and is sanitary. It has superior properties, such as light-weight and user friendliness, while titanium knives can be kept sharp six times longer than stainless knives.

• [Photograph provided by] ©CASIO Computer Co., Ltd. Wristwatches and glasses
• 

Health

As titanium is highly biocompatible and seldom induces metallic allergy, it is broadly utilized as a material for implants, such as artificial dental roots and artificial bones, and its application field is expanding.

Dental instruments made of titanium

In the dental field, many tools made of titanium alloy, which is lighter than steel, are used. Such tools made of titanium are superior to those made of stainless steel in corrosion resistance and strength.

Artificial dental roots

Since titanium is highly biocompatible and harmless to the human body, it is used as a material for artificial dental roots.

Offshore engineering

• [Photograph provided by] Joint venture for constructing Runway D for enlarging the Haneda Airport
• Coating steel pipe piles with titanium [Photograph provided by] ©H. OSAWA

Piers for Runway D of the Haneda Airport

Tokyo Wan Aqua-Line Expressway (titanium-coated bridge piers)

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) plants

Ocean thermal energy conversion, which is attracting attention as a new power generation method, generates power by circulating the mixture of ammonia and water based on the variation in seawater temperature. Titanium, which can tolerate seawater, is most suited for pipes and devices for realizing this power generation.