Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22 that is located in group 4 of the periodic table of elements. It is a transition metal of gray color, low density and great hardness. It is very resistant to corrosion by sea water, aqua regia and chlorine.
It was discovered independently in 1791 by William Gregor in a mine in Cornwall, Great Britain, and in 1795 by Martin Heinrich Klaproth, who named it "titanium" by the titans of Greek mythology. [Citation needed] This element is abundant in mineral deposits. , mainly in the form of oxides such as rutile and ilmenite, widely distributed in the earth's crust and lithosphere; it is also found in living beings, bodies of water and extraterrestrial objects.3 The extraction of this metal from the mineral is carried out by the Kroll method4 or by the Hunter method. The most common compound is titanium dioxide, used for photocatalysis and the manufacture of white pigments.5 Other common compounds include titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4), a catalyst component, and titanium trichloride (TiCl3), which is used as a catalyst in the production of polypropylene.3
In its pure state, it has a high resistance to corrosion and the highest hardness-density ratio of all metallic elements.6 Titanium is as strong as some steels, but its density is lower.7 It has two allotropic forms8 and five natural isotopes ranging from 46Ti to 50Ti, with 48Ti being the most abundant of them.9
Titanium can form alloys with iron, aluminum, vanadium and molybdenum among other elements, suitable for its lightness and resistance properties for the construction of machinery for aerospace applications - reaction engines, missiles and spacecraft -, military, industrial - storage and transport of chemical and petrochemical products, and desalination plants -, in the automotive industry, for medical prostheses and orthopedic implants, dental instruments and implants, sports equipment, jewelry or mobile phones.3