Our World Today Depends on Titanium
The remarkable advancements we now take for granted are largely due to titanium applications. Our modern conveniences such as cell phones, the internet, e-commerce, and social media owe their existence to three fundamental technologies: rockets, jet engines, and electronic chips. Without rockets, we wouldn't have satellites; and without satellites, our cell phones and internet connectivity would vanish. The titanium discovery was crucial, as rockets must utilize titanium to successfully launch satellites into orbit, which is vital for our connected world.
Computer chip circuits must be etched on a wafer, and high purity sputtered titanium plays a crucial role in these processes. The titanium applications in electronics enable the creation of circuits essential for modern life—without chips, there would be no cell phones or internet, not to mention countless other devices reliant on chip technology. This efficiency allows commerce and people to move rapidly around the globe. Moreover, without jet engines, this global movement would not be possible, and without titanium, the modern jet engine remains unfeasible. These advancements have largely stemmed from the titanium discovery and the growth of the titanium industry over the last 50 years. Bob Lee 4 May 2018
History of Titanium: Understanding Its Importance
Titanium was discovered in 1790 when Reverend William Gregor, an amateur geologist, identified the element in the black sand on the Cornish beaches in England. Five years later, an eminent German Chemist, Martin Heinrich Klaproth, recognized a dioxide of the same metal in rutile ore (TiO2, which is found in your toothpaste and white paint) and named it 'Titanium' after the Titans, the mythical Greek Gods renowned for their enormous strength. This marked a significant moment in the history of titanium discovery. Over 100 years later, in 1910, American Chemist M.A. Hunter finally succeeded in extracting titanium metal from the ore, which marked the birth of the titanium industry. Today, the highest purity titanium sponge, essential for various titanium applications, is produced by the Hunter Sodium Reduction method. Our Titanium Sponge Granules originate from the Hunter process.
