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Titanium
gets its name from the Greek gods – The Titans. The name was given
by the Austrian chemist Martin Hienrich Klaproth who identified it as
an element and assigned the number 22 in the periodic table. Although
it was discovered by clergyman in (William Gregor) 1791, Titanium
remained unknown due to his ignorance of the material.
Although,
it was thought that Titanium could be used to make jewelry, the
concept died down due to lack of technology to forge such a hard
substance. After lying low for more than 200 years, molding of
Titanium for jewelry applications began in 1997. The first trials
produced by precision engineering companies have shown a lot of
encouragement and thus the jewelry line of Titanium started evolving
into a market. Since then a lot of companies have come up with
various technologies to manufacture Titanium rings and Titanium
bracelets in plain and inset designs.
Since
Titanium occurs naturally in the earth’s crust, its availability is
abundant. Some research says that Titanium is the sixth most abundant
element while some research differs. However, despite these
contentions, Titanium can be assumed to be available in abundant
quantities waiting to be mined. The process of mining is quite
complicated and is difficult to discuss without a lot technical
jargon, however, Titanium is mined and separated from other elements
that occur along with it naturally to leave it like a sponge. This
ore is then forged into bars or castings before being used as a raw
material to produce jewelry.
Titanium
as most of us are aware is used for aerospace and space research
applications. This is due to its very high tensile strength and a
fantastic strength to weight ratio. When alloyed with aluminum or
vanadium, Titanium becomes a Grade 5 metal or Aircraft grade,
essentially enhancing its tensile strength further. This grade of
metal is also used for designs with inset diamonds or gemstones. This
is because of the fact that the strength is required to hold the
stones or diamonds in place, since they are held by the tensile
strength. Although combining with aluminum or vanadium makes Titanium
lose purity to some extent, this combination does not in anyway
change the scratch resistance or the look.
Titanium
rings and Titanium bracelets forged form grade 5 metal cannot be
resized, although many companies do say that it is possible, resizing
this call of metal is highly impossible and difficult. Titanium, when
forged, scratched or machined has a tendency to form a layer of
oxidation almost instantly, unlike gold or aluminum. This property
makes it corrosion resistant and durable.
Applications
for such a strong, corrosion resistant metal are many. Apart from
Titanium rings and Titanium bracelets, Titanium has also come to be
used in surgical implants, golf clubs and spectacle frames in the
consumer industry. Industrial applications of Titanium are many.
Titanium is extensively used in aerospace, motor, paint and marine
industries.
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