Titanium's properties, which include a combination of high strength, stiffness, toughness, low density, and good corrosion resistance, are delivered by various titanium alloys across a wide temperature range, from very low to elevated temperatures. This unique blend of titanium properties allows significant weight savings in aerospace structures and other high-performance applications.
The atomic weight of titanium is 47.88. Titanium is lightweight, strong, corrosion resistant, and abundant in nature. Titanium and its alloys offer tensile strengths ranging from 30,000 psi to 200,000 psi (210 to 1380 MPa), which are comparable to the strengths found in most alloy steels.
As a low-density element, at approximately 60% of the density of iron, titanium can be strengthened through alloying and deformation processing. It is nonmagnetic and has good heat-transfer properties. Its coefficient of thermal expansion is somewhat lower than that of steel and less than half that of aluminum.
One of titanium's most useful properties is its high melting point of 3135°F (1725°C). This is approximately 400°F above the melting point of steel and roughly 2000°F above that of aluminum, making titanium well suited to high-temperature applications.
Titanium can be passivated, giving it a high degree of immunity to attack by most mineral acids and chlorides. It is also nontoxic and generally biologically compatible with human tissue and bone. This excellent corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, combined with strength, make titanium and its alloys valuable in chemical and petrochemical applications, marine environments, and biomaterial applications.
Titanium is not a good conductor of electricity. If the conductivity of copper is taken as 100%, titanium has a conductivity of only 3.1%. For this reason, titanium is not used in applications where good electrical conductivity is a primary requirement. By comparison, stainless steel has a conductivity of 3.5% and aluminum has a conductivity of 30%.
Electrical resistance is the opposition a material presents to the flow of electrons. Because titanium is a poor conductor, it follows that it is a fairly good resistor.
Table 1: Relationship Between Titanium Properties, Engineering Benefits, and Typical Applications
Titanium Property
Engineering Benefit
Typical Applications
High strength
Supports high mechanical loads while minimizing component size
Aerospace structures, structural components, high-performance fasteners
Low density
Reduces overall weight while maintaining structural performance
Aircraft, spacecraft, high-performance transportation equipment
High strength-to-weight ratio
Enables lightweight designs without sacrificing strength
Airframes, jet engine components, racing and performance engineering
Excellent corrosion resistance
Provides long service life in aggressive environments with minimal maintenance
Marine equipment, chemical processing equipment, offshore structures
High melting point
Maintains mechanical integrity at elevated temperatures
Jet engine components, gas turbines, high-temperature industrial equipment
Biocompatibility
Compatible with human tissue and bone with excellent corrosion resistance in the body
Orthopedic implants, dental implants, surgical devices
Nonmagnetic behavior
Suitable for environments where magnetic interference must be minimized
MRI-compatible medical devices, scientific instruments, precision equipment
Poor electrical conductivity
Offers relatively high electrical resistance compared with highly conductive metals
Specialized electrical components where conductivity is not required
This article covers the properties that determine how titanium performs in service. The other guides in the Titanium series address where those properties come from and how they are defined. Titanium Grades explains how commercially pure titanium and its alloys are classified, each offering a different balance of the characteristics described here. Titanium Specifications covers the designation systems that fix a material's exact composition and condition, while Titanium Standards explains the frameworks that govern those designations. Together, they link performance with classification, designation, and standards.
Titanium is known for its high strength, stiffness, toughness, low density, and excellent corrosion resistance across a wide temperature range. These properties make it ideal for aerospace, marine, chemical, and biomedical applications.
Titanium and its alloys offer tensile strengths from 30,000 psi to 200,000 psi (210 to 1380 MPa), comparable to most alloy steels. At roughly 60% of the density of iron, titanium also provides an outstanding strength-to-weight ratio.
Titanium has a high melting point of 3135°F (1725°C), about 400°F higher than steel and roughly 2000°F higher than aluminum.
Titanium can be passivated, forming a protective surface layer that gives it strong immunity to most mineral acids and chlorides. This makes it highly durable in marine and chemical environments.
No. With a conductivity of only 3.1% relative to copper (100%), titanium is a poor electrical conductor and a fairly good resistor, so it is not used where high conductivity is required.
Yes. Titanium is nontoxic and biologically compatible with human tissue and bone, which is why it is widely used in biomaterial and implant applications.