Its color is grayish, it has great hardness and low density. It is very important and its existence was announced in 1790 by the British scientist Williams Gregor.
Titanium is a metal that belongs to the group of transition elements, located in the center of the periodic table, more precisely in block d. It is characterized by the inclusion in its configuration of the d orbital, which is partially filled with electrons. Its melting point is 1668.85 degrees Celsius and its boiling point is 3287.85 degrees Celsius, which means they are very high, and it is a good conductor of heat and electricity.
Due to its high tolerance to extreme temperatures, such as those found in outer space, titanium is used in space engineering. Also due to its great resistance, titanium is used in chemistry, as it resists the different actions of acids with great capacity. They also use it in the automotive, jewelry, and weaponry industries.
Main uses of Titanium
- Crutches, wheelchairs and surgical instruments are also made from titanium due to its low weight and high strength.
- Uses for titanium are being considered in the manufacture of naval vessels, missiles, aircraft, armor and helicopters, as they do not tend to degrade easily.
- In addition, the heat exchangers used in desalination plants (those that allow the conversion of seawater into water for human consumption) are made from this metal, due to its high corrosion tolerance in Seawater.
- In some cases, titanium is also used in the construction of buildings.
- Various firearms are made from titanium because it is a light and strong metal.
- Certain titanium compounds can be used to treat cancerous diseases.
- Generally, the body of the body of laptops, notebooks, notebooks, is made of titanium.
- So-called piercings that are used in the body are also made from this metal, usually because it is inert and easy to color.
- Bicycle frames and tennis rackets are also made of titanium.
The vast majority of it becomes titanium oxide, which is a white pigment found in:
- Painting
- some plastics
- cement
- Paper
- Precious stones
- Golf Club
- fishing rods
- Among others.
Effects of titanium on the environment and health
The uses of titanium have a low level of toxicity. So far, there is no documentation on the negative effects on the environment due to this metal. Some labs have experimented with exposing rats to titanium dioxide and the result was that they developed small areas of dark dust in the lungs. In humans, excessive exposure to titanium can cause mild changes in the lungs.
The routes by which it can gain access and cause symptoms in humans are skin contact, eye contact, or inhalation. Excessive inhalation of titanium dust can cause chest pain, shortness of breath and coughing, among other things. If the eyes or skin come into contact with this element, it is likely to cause irritation.
Titanium has been included in group number three by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which places it as an agent incapable of causing carcinogenicity in humans.
Obtaining and using titanium in producing countries
Titanium is found in different minerals, in plant and animal organisms, as well as in igneous rocks. It is not found freely in natural environments. It is usually extracted from rutile, which is titanium oxide, and is abundant in the sands of coastal areas and is then refined by various processes. That is why its use is extremely important for these countries in general.
The countries that mainly produce and use titanium oxide are:
- South Africa
- Norway
- Australia
- Canada
- Ukraine
