Titanium Ignots

Titanium ingots are metallic ingots made through the smelting of titanium ore or titanium sponge, they are an important intermediate product in the processing of titanium materials. Due to their high strength, low density, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility, titanium and its alloys are widely used in aerospace, chemical industry, medical, military and other fields.

The main production process of titanium ingots are as below,

Raw materials: Titanium ore (such as ilmenite, rutile) is converted into titanium tetrachloride (TiCl₄) via a chlorination process, which is then reduced to titanium sponge through magnesium reduction (Kroll process) or sodium reduction (Hunter process); recycled titanium products.

Melting processes:

1.Vacuum Arc Remelting (VAR): Sponge titanium or titanium scrap is arc melted in a vacuum environment to avoid oxidation, resulting in high-purity titanium ingots.

2.Cold Hearth Melting (CHM): Further removes impurities, suitable for aerospace-grade titanium alloys.

3.Electron Beam Melting (EBM): Used for ultra-high purity titanium ingot production.

Classification of titanium ingots (by composition and application):

Pure titanium ingots: (such as Gr1-Gr4), Gr2 (industrial pure titanium) is the most commonly used.

Titanium alloy ingots: such as Ti-6Al-4V (TC4), Ti-5Al-2.5Sn, etc., which enhance performance by adding elements like aluminum and vanadium.

Main application of titanium ingots: aerospace (engine components, fuselage structures); chemical industry (corrosion-resistant reactors, pipelines); medical (artificial joints, dental implants); military (submarine hulls, missile components); consumer goods, etc.

Titanium ingots are key materials in high-end manufacturing. With the development of 3D printing (titanium powder) and low-cost smelting technologies, their application scope will further expand. China, Russia, and the United States are major production countries in the world.