Titanium - The metal to use for superior corrosion resistance

Titanium is the industrial material of choice, without peer, when the application calls for corrosion resistance.

• Continuously Forms Abrasion Resistant, Protective Oxide Film
• Resists Chlorine and Most Corrosive Acids and Alkalis
• Readily Available as Welded/ Seamless Tubing, Plate, and Bars
• Ideal for Desalination, Heat Exchangers, Chemical and Marine Equipment.

A reactive metal, titanium spontaneously forms a natural, protective oxide film (mainly TiO2) in the presence of oxygen. Whenever there is any air or water in a process stream or operating environment, this oxide film forms continuously and protects the metal from corrosive attack. If the film is scratched, it repairs itself instantly. Titanium’s corrosion-resistant properties, along with its low density, high strength and erosion resistance, make it a leading contender for chemical-processing, marine, and architectural applications.  

The superior corrosion resistance of titanium is ideal for components used in desalination plants—a major global growth market for the titanium industry. e most noteworthy example of this is the Ras Azzour desalination plant, located in Saudi Arabia, which is slated for completion in 2014. is plant will require 6,000 metric tons of titanium. When it goes online, Ras Azzour will be the world’s largest desalination facility, providing water to 3.5 million people in Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh region.  

The heat exchanger market is another key industrial application where titanium fl exes its corrosion resistance muscle. Compared with piping made from copper-based alloys, titanium heat exchanger parts can be designed for high-fl ow velocities without detrimental effects from turbulence, impingement or cavitation. The erosion/corrosion resistance of titanium alloys is well suited for fluid-flow components in chemical and power plants and marine naval applications. Titanium’s hard, smooth surface can handle high fluid-flow rates while minimizing the buildup of external fouling films, which can diminish heat-transfer efficiency. Titanium is readily available in welded and seamless tubing in many alloy grades for shell/tube exchangers, or in fl at forms for plate and frame exchangers. 

In addition to seawater, titanium’s oxide film is resistant to moist chlorine and its compounds; solutions of chlorites, hypochlorites, perchlorates and chlorine dioxide; and moist bromine gas. Titanium is highly resistant to nitric, chromic, and perchloric mineral acids; chlorides of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, copper, iron, ammonia, manganese and nickel; and organic chemical process streams of alcohols, aldehydes, esters, ketones and hydrocarbons. It’s resistant to acetic, terephthalic, adipic, citric, formic, lactic, stearic, tartaric and tannic organic acids. 

Titanium’s oxide film also provides resistance to abrasion, erosion, erosion-corrosion, cavitation and impingement attack in industrial, high-velocity chemical process streams. It’s up to 20 times more erosion resistant than copper-nickel alloys.