Over the past five years, the price of commercially pure titanium has dropped by nearly 30%, making titanium and its alloys more economically accessible. Titanium alloys are valued for their exceptional physical properties, including lightness, high mechanical strength, and resistance to extreme temperatures, as well as their chemical properties like resistance to electrochemical corrosion and biocompatibility. These attributes make titanium indispensable in various sectors, including:
Ilmenite is economically significant due to its role in producing titanium dioxide pigments. Its magnetic properties, along with those of ilmenite-hematite solid solutions (Fe₂O₃), are crucial for commercial extraction through magnetic separation.
Titanium is extracted from minerals like ilmenite (FeTiO₃) and rutile (TiO₂), which are the primary sources of titanium for industrial use. With a global reserve estimated at approximately 650 billion metric tons of titanium oxide, the potential for titanium production is vast. Major deposits of ilmenite and rutile are found in countries such as:
Ilmenite, discovered in 1827 by Adolph Theodor Kupffer, is a significant mineral containing 40–65% titanium dioxide and 35–60% iron oxide [20]. It is particularly valued for its role in producing titanium dioxide pigments and its magnetic properties, which are crucial for commercial extraction processes.
The current dominant method for producing titanium metal is the Kroll process, developed by DuPont Germany in 1948. This process is energy-intensive and costly, prompting researchers to seek alternative methods despite its established use. The Kroll process involves the reduction of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl₄) with magnesium, resulting in titanium metal and magnesium chloride.
Two primary approaches for titanium metal production are:
Additionally, innovations in powder production and the use of advanced technologies like genomic data and computer-assisted analysis are shaping the future of titanium manufacturing.
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