There Has to Be a Better Way to Make Titanium
14 days ago
- #manufacturing
- #materials-science
- #titanium
- Titanium is an exceptional structural metal with properties like toughness, light weight, and corrosion resistance, but remains expensive and underutilized.
- Current titanium production relies on the Kroll process, which involves multiple costly steps, including mining, purification, reduction, and shaping.
- Titanium's high reactivity and refractory nature make it difficult to process, leading to material loss and high costs at each production step.
- Alternative production methods, such as electrolysis and additive manufacturing, have failed to significantly reduce costs or replace the Kroll process.
- Titanium's cost could be reduced by eliminating steps in the production chain, but challenges like purity requirements and reactivity remain significant barriers.
- Despite its advantages, titanium is often outcompeted by steel, aluminum, and composites in applications where cost or formability are critical.