Name: titanium	Group number: 4
Symbol: Ti	Group name: (none)
Atomic number: 22	Period number: 4
Atomic weight: 47.867 (1)	Block: d-block
CAS Registry ID: 7440-32-6	Voice:
Standard state: solid at 298 K	Colour: silvery metallic
Classification: Metallic	Availability:

Titanium, when pure, is a lustrous, white metal.

Titanium minerals are quite common. The metal has a low density, good strength, is easily fabricated, and has excellent corrosion resistance. The metal burns in air and is the only element that burns in nitrogen. It is marvellous in fireworks.

WebElements movies
[QuickTime, 0.75mb download] [MPEG, 1.1mb download] To play the movies, you need QuickTime for MacOS or Windows installed, or some other MPEG movie viewer.
The picture above shows the reaction between titanium metal and potassium perchlorate (KClO4). Do not attempt this reaction unless are a professionally qualified chemist and you have carried out a legally satisfactory hazard assessment. Improperly done, this reaction is dangerous! Select a movie icon to see the reaction between titanium metal and potassium perchlorate.

The picture above shows the result from adding titanium powder to a burning mixture of potassium chlorate and sucrose. Do not attempt this reaction unless are a professionally qualified chemist and you have carried out a legally satisfactory hazard assessment.

The picture above shows the result from igniting a mixture of titanium powder and potassium perchlorate (KClO₄). Do not attempt this reaction unless are a professionally qualified chemist and you have carried out a legally satisfactory hazard assessment.

Titanium is resistant to dilute sulphuric and hydrochloric acid, most organic acids, damp chlorine gas, and chloride solutions. Titanium metal is considered to be physiologically inert.

Titanium is present in meteorites and in the sun. Some lunar rocks contain high concentrations of the dioxide, TiO₂. Titanium oxide bands are prominent in the spectra of M-type stars.

Isolation

Titanium is readily available from commercial sources so preparation in the laboratory is not normally required. In industry, reduction of ores with carbon is not a useful option as intractable carbides are produced. The Kroll method is used on large scales and involves the action of chlorine and carbon upon ilmenite (TiFeO₃) or rutile (TiO₂). The resultant titanium tetrachloride, TiCl₄, is separated from the iron trichloride, FeCl₃, by fractional distillation. Finally TiCl₄ is reduced to metallic titanium by reduction with magnesium, Mg. Air is excluded so as to prevent contamination of the product with oxygen or nitrogen.

2TiFeO₃ + 7Cl₂ + 6C (900°C) 2TiCl₄ + 2FeCl₃ + 6CO

TiCl₄ + 2Mg (1100°C) 2MgCl₂ + Ti

Excess magensium and magneium dichloride is removed from the product bytreatment with water and hydrochloric acid to leave a titanium "sponge". This can be melted under a helium or argon atmosphere to allow casting as bars.