It seems particularly appropriate that titanium (before it was so named) should originally have been discovered by a man of God—Reverend William Gregor—in Cornwall, England, back in 1790. It wasn’t until five years later, however, that the metal was actually named titanium, after the Titans, by the German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth.
One hundred years later, in 1910, American chemist Matthew A. Hunter succeeded in obtaining titanium metal from one of its ores; consequently, he had the first industrial process to extract the metal named after him.
That the metal should be named after the Titans is particularly apt, to a degree that would probably have astounded Professor Klaproth.
Amongst other characteristics, titanium can boast of its:
Lightness: Its low density means that it weighs only around 56 percent as much as steel.
Strength-to-Weight Ratio: Titanium is the highest of any of today’s structured metals.
Flexibility: With its low modulus of elasticity (14.9 x 106 psi), about half that of steel, titanium is not only extraordinarily flexible, but it also springs back very strongly after it has been stressed, e.g., when acting as a spring.
Resistance to Corrosion and Erosion: Titanium is exceptionally resistant to both corrosion and erosion. In the former instance, its naturally forming oxide film protects it against a variety of agents: alkaline media, chlorine and other halides, gases, inorganic salt solutions, organic acids and chemicals, oxidizing mineral acids and water—in all its guises. (It also protects against microbiologically influenced corrosion.) In the case of erosion, titanium’s oxide film provides it with strong resistance to anything from abrasion to cavitation and erosion—particularly at high-flow velocities.
High Thermal Conductivity: Titanium conducts heat extremely efficiently.
Low Coefficient of Expansion: Titanium’s low coefficient of expansion makes it much easier to use in combination with ceramics, composites and glass than most other metals.
….read more HERE (Ed Note: Be sure to scroll down to the bottom section titled “Opportunities In Titanium Metal”)