From titanium ore extraction and processing to its applications in the transportation industry — an overview

Titanium (Ti) alloys combine outstanding mechanical properties with excellent corrosion resistance, making them desirable for challenging lightweight construction in the transportation industry. However, Ti production is energy consuming and expensive since the current method of extraction of Ti from the ore includes smelting, chlorination, and reduction by magnesium (Kroll process). Therefore, cost reduction is one of the driving factors for Ti research to broaden its field of application. This overview paper presents the basics of Ti metallurgy then discusses the conventional production route from Ti ore to semi-finished products and components. This includes ore beneficiation and processing, melting and remelting for ingot production, forging, casting, and machining of (semi-finished) products, scrap recycling, and additive manufacturing. The paper concludes with a brief overview of Ti applications in the transportation industry. Recent results of research projects carried out in the Titanium Research Group of the Institute for Materials Science (Technische Universität Braunschweig) are included to emphasize alloy development and thermomechanical treatments for microstructure optimization.