Titanium and its alloys due to the small density (4.51g/cm3), high strength (some up to 1000MPa), specific strength, high and low temperature performance is excellent, so the first is widely used in aviation, aerospace and other industries, becoming an indispensable structural material for the military industry. In addition, titanium and its alloys in many chemical media excellent corrosion resistance and other comprehensive performance, and is widely accepted by the petroleum, chemical, pharmaceutical, sports and other civil industries, gradually replacing a variety of metal materials, in a short period of time jumped to the third place in the use of metal materials.
Titanium was discovered in 1789, 1908 Norway and the United States began to use sulfuric acid method of production of titanium dioxide, 1910 in the laboratory for the first time in the sodium law sponge titanium sponge, 1948 U.S. DuPont (DUPONT) before the use of magnesium method of tonnage of titanium sponge production, which marked the sponge titanium sponge that is, the beginning of titanium industrialized production.
Reaction process is as follows: TiO2 + Cl2 → TiCl4
TiCl4 + Mg → Ti
See the titanium production process involves highly toxic chemical medium chlorine (chemical weapons in World War II Oh) and the precious metal of magnesium, and the reaction process requires a large amount of energy, which is the reason why titanium is expensive. This process of smelting out of titanium can not be used for production, because it is still porous and loose-like, sponge-like, known as titanium sponge, titanium sponge will be placed in a vacuum self-consumption arc furnace smelting out of titanium ingots for the production of plates, rods, tubes and other forms of titanium material.
China's titanium resources, mineral concentration, converted into TiO2 total reserves of more than 9 billion tons, the world's first. Titanium ore is mainly distributed in Sichuan, Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan provinces and regions, including Panzhihua area reserves accounted for 35% of the world's total reserves. However, compared with the world's major titanium ore producers, China's natural rutile (TiO2) resources are few, easy to mine and utilize the sand ore less. Titanium ore is mostly titanium-vanadium-iron *** raw rock ore, the starting cost of metallurgy is high. Speaking of which there is a need to mention a story, when Panzhihua Iron and Steel Group smelting steel slag piled up in a corner of the Pangangang Group, a long time did not find this slag inside even contains the precious metal titanium. Later, the Japanese on the Pangang Steel inspection when proposed to buy our slag, which only let our country attention on the specific true nature of the Pangang Steel slag, of course, rebuffed Japan.
China's titanium industry started in the 1950s, in 1954, Beijing Nonferrous Metals Research Institute began to sponge titanium preparation process research, in 1956, the state of titanium as a strategic metal included in the 12-year development plan in 1958 in Fushun Aluminum Plant to achieve the sponge titanium industrial test, the establishment of China's first sponge titanium production workshop, while the Shenyang Nonferrous Metals Processing Plant established China's first titanium processing materials production test workshop.
Before and after 1980, China's titanium sponge production reached 2800 tons, however, due to the majority of people's lack of understanding of titanium metal, titanium material, the high price of titanium material also limits the application of titanium, titanium processing material production is only 200 tons or so, China's titanium for the industry is in trouble.
By the end of 2003, China's titanium sponge annual production capacity of 4,000 tons, of which 3,000 tons of Zunyi titanium plant (expansion project basically completed in 2005, the annual output can be more than 5,000 tons), Fushun titanium plant 1,000 tons. Due to the strong demand for titanium in China's continuously developing national economy in recent years, the above two plants are able to produce at full capacity, and the total output was also more than 4,000 tons in 2003 and reached 4,809 tons in 2004.
In 2002, China imported 2,147 tons of titanium sponge, exported 11 tons, net imports of 2,136 tons; January-November 2003, China's imports of titanium sponge 2,609.9 tons, exports of 72.7 tons, net imports of 2,534.2 tons.
In 2002, China's production of titanium sponge 3328 tons, the actual sales of 3079 tons; in 2003, China's production of titanium sponge 4112 tons, sales of 4128 tons. However, due to the international large-scale development of chemical and aerospace industries, has made the international titanium to the situation of demand exceeds supply, resulting in a crazy rise in China's titanium from 2002.
In 2002, China's major titanium processing materials enterprise titanium production in different areas of sales distribution is shown in the following table:
China's major titanium processing materials enterprise titanium production in different areas of sales distribution (%)
Titanium production capacity of titanium processing materials is determined by the production capacity of the titanium ingot, that is, the country has a vacuum self-consuming electric arc furnace overall tonnage. Our country basically has a production capacity of 20,000t/a of titanium ingots. To 70% can be converted into titanium material, basically has a production capacity of 14000t / a.
According to preliminary statistics, in 2003, China's actual production of titanium material about 6000 tons, accounting for about 10% of the world's total output. It can be seen that China's titanium processing industry is not yet very developed, need time and investment.
At present, China's titanium processing and its manufacturing industry in the geographic embodiment of the pattern of the three worlds:
Baoji as the center of the northwest region. This region to Baoji non-ferrous metal processing plant and its holding of Baoji Titanium Co., Ltd. as the leader, the formation of China's highest degree of specialization, the most systematic processing equipment, product specifications of the most titanium processing and its manufacturing base. The titanium materials in Northwest China are mainly supplied to the national military production sector, the civil equipment production sector, and partly exported to Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, Ro-Ro and other famous companies.
Shenyang Nonferrous Metal Processing Plant, Fushun Special Steel Sheet Limited Liability Company, Shenyang Oriental Titanium Co., Ltd. and other units to form the main Northeast Titanium Processing and Equipment Manufacturing Group, the region's small and medium-sized enterprises, titanium equipment manufacturing is quite active, due to the Northeast is our country's old heavy industrial base, the talent is not in short supply, lack of is to strengthen the management and comprehensive organizational capacity, especially in local Preferential policy support will also form a certain climate.
Bao Steel Group Shanghai Five Steel Co., Ltd., Nanjing Baoti Group Co., Ltd., Zhangjiagang Hongda Steel Pipe Factory and other units to form the Yangtze River Delta titanium processing and its equipment manufacturing group. The Yangtze River Delta region of non-ferrous metal equipment processing capacity has been able to reflect China's strength in this area, every year in the non-ferrous aspects of a large number of exports of equipment, quality and reliability, there has been part of the quality, management is more successful enterprises into the door of the military manufacturing. Although there is no large-scale military production, but also can fully illustrate our manufacturing capacity and titanium in the military application of the prospect.
In 2005, China's titanium sponge and titanium processing materials, the single plant capacity to reach an annual output of 5,000 tons of the basic economic scale, coupled with the revitalization of the Northeast plan of 5,000 tons / year titanium sponge project, basically to achieve the generations of titanium industry in our country's aspirations of the workers on a big step, will certainly make our country to become a powerhouse of the titanium industry.
Titanium mines in the world can be completed - metallurgy - processing - titanium equipment manufacturing and scientific research - design - application of the two complete system of only four countries: the United States, the Soviet Union / Russia, Japan, China. This is a model of modern metallurgical industry. The following table will reflect some of the world's major titanium material producers in the recent past.
Titanium production from the table above can be seen in the major countries are developed countries and the former Soviet Union (except China), titanium production process of the special characteristics of the country is not strong capital dilemma. As a dominant metal in the world aviation industry, titanium is becoming a tool for some countries to seek world aviation dominance, we must all know the recent Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the merger of Russia's number of major aircraft manufacturers, the establishment of the United Aeronautical Manufacturing Group of things, which is only the first step of the old Mao Zi seeks to dominate the aviation, followed by the Russian media revealed that Russia's defense export companies are titanium alloy giants with the Avisma company for equity acquisition negotiations, which shows that Russia in today's international form not only to play energy row, the use of "Anta line" and "Anna line" to China and Japan tethered together to play, but also to extend the claws to the strategic significance of the The company is also trying to create artificial conditions for the rise of Russia by extending its claws into the field of rare metals of strategic significance!
Because of the Avisma global aircraft manufacturing industry's largest material suppliers (supply Boeing 35% of the titanium and Airbus 50% of the titanium), in addition to the annual supply of Boeing 250,000 to 450,000 tons of products (including magnesium alloys), but also to increase the share of deep-processed products, at the same time, Russia and Boeing and Airbus have a cooperative project (the new aircraft R & D and manufacturing companies), it is not difficult to see that Russia wants to turn the Material advantage into a bargaining chip for technology transfer ambitions, this one, the second is the Russian president has ordered the design and manufacture of new aircraft, want to test with Boeing / Airbus than high! And has given the Sukhoi company under the loan guarantee to ensure that the latter's RRJ-type regional aircraft development plan to proceed smoothly, I feel that a regional aircraft so much publicity, in all likelihood, is not aimed at China's ARJ21, is Russia's practice behavior before the war, the rise of the old Mao Zi's heart is very strong.
Titanium in the defense industry
(1). The use of titanium in China's defense industry
Whether it is the United States or Russia, its titanium is mainly used in aircraft manufacturing and shipbuilding. In recent years, China's development of these two areas very quickly, there are new aircraft production, in the research project is also a lot, it is estimated that the amount of titanium in these two areas will increase dramatically, and there are also reports indicating that our F10 on the use of titanium alloys, there are also netizens some time ago in the Iron Blood Web site posted China's new titanium alloy engine cowl and the strong 5 fighters of the wings of titanium alloy connectors pictures. Visible in our country in the use of titanium alloy above has long been mature, in time, our titanium alloy application can also let the aerospace industry leap. In the aerospace field, China's first large-scale all-titanium ultraviolet space telescope has also been manufactured and experiments, titanium alloys in the field of space applications in a bright future (see below).
Each type of titanium alloy has its own purpose. Aircraft manufacturing and aerospace industry using titanium alloy we have a very good understanding of the social life and in the mechanical industry in the use of more, such as eyeglass frames, ah, golf clubs, ah, super sports bike ah, and so on. But in the army and navy in the use we are little known, and related articles and instructions are not a lot, the following is a list of some of China's high-performance titanium alloys in the defense industry applications.
1. Engine industry:
Titanium 5Al2.5Sn high-strength titanium alloy - gear bushings, engine casing, blade cover
Titanium 8Al1Mo1V high-temperature titanium alloy - engine blades, gyroscope guide cover, inner skin
Titanium 6Al4V (tensile strength ≥ 895MPa) heat-treatment strengthening of titanium alloys. 895MPa) heat treatment strengthened titanium alloy - core machine blades and impellers
2. Aviation industry:
Titanium 6Al2Sn strengthened titanium alloy - fasteners, guiding devices, important structures
Titanium 4AlMo1V titanium alloy - aircraft skeleton < /p>
Titanium Sn5Zr1Mo titanium alloy-landing gear, aircraft load-bearing frame, fasteners
3. Aerospace industry
Titanium alloy 1M1315-rocket disk, missile base components
Titanium alloy 1M1550-missile power Blade sets
Titanium alloy T-A6V-main material for airships
4. Army industry
China has successfully developed two types of mortars, 83-1 and 83-2. 83-1 type 82 mortars are widely used in titanium alloys, which reduces the weight of the whole gun to 18.1 kilograms, which makes it extremely convenient for the development of assault warfare for small units such as squads and platoons. assault and harassment warfare is carried out.
Titanium A7D - a new type of armored vehicles mechanical analysis of forgings
Titanium A6Z5W - anti-tank rockets (missiles), surface-to-air missile cover and other creep-resistant parts required
Titanium 1M1551 - a high-speed rotating parts of the fire of armored vehicles
Titanium 1M1551 - a high-speed rotating parts
Titanium 1M1551 - a high-speed rotating parts of the armored vehicles
5. p>
5. Naval industry
LT41 titanium alloy - large area of the ship's skin
3.7114 titanium alloy - excellent weldability, good molding suitable for a variety of watertight compartments
Titanium V13CA titanium alloy - honeycomb hull, load-bearing framework
Titanium 1M1551 - an armored vehicle fire high-speed rotating components
5.
Titanium alloys are promising for use in ships. This has to do with the strength and toughness of titanium alloys, as well as corrosion resistance, titanium in seawater is extremely stable, basically you can assume that the hull will not corrode, which reduces maintenance costs, but also reduces the weight of the hull, which is a great benefit for the ship. In addition, there is a need to mention two points: the first titanium is non-magnetic, anti-magnetic detection is a great help, as for what magnetic mines ah, not worth worrying about. The second is with advanced ship composite coatings have an inherent integration, the future will use the stealth composite materials have a disadvantage, is with the previous ships use high strength special steel reaction, due to the potential difference is easy to produce galvanic coupling in seawater, accelerated corrosion, this kind of thing in the 052 on the test once, it does not take long will be rusted, but these coatings and titanium alloy can be perfectly integrated.
(2) the use of titanium in the defense industry in other countries
The world has been retired, are in service or in the research and development of weaponry, many of which use titanium and its alloys of structural components, with the modernization of the war mode of change, the requirements of the modern army's rapid mobility is very prominent, so for the army must rely on the ability of the transporter to achieve rapid mobility This requires the army to try to lighten the heavy equipment, such as now countries want their artillery can be quickly and effectively transferred to another place, to achieve strategic or tactical purposes, which will inevitably make the development of titanium alloys in the field of artillery a bright future, such as the United States of America's M777 lightweight howitzers, as a result of the use of titanium alloy shells, the full weight of the battle down to 3.175 tons, can be used V22 or C130 airborne. The use of V22 or C130 airlift, to achieve rapid maneuverability. Similarly, the British UFH ultra-light 155mm gun uses one ton of titanium in less than four tons. In the field of air force and naval equipment is even more so, the following is a brief introduction to the successful application of titanium alloys typical examples:
①Aircraft titanium data (unspecified are referred to the amount of blank)
International Titanium Association in October 2002 in the United States, held in Orlando, the annual meeting of the titanium announced the following new data on aircraft titanium:
1. planned to be introduced in 2004, the Airbus A380, the first super-large airliner scheduled to be launched in 2004, uses 45t/aircraft - 65t/aircraft of titanium; (see below)
2. Boeing airliners use 15-17% of their gross weight of titanium (net weight);
3. F15 fighters use 5.75t of titanium for the structure, and 5t of titanium for the two jet engines; (see below)
4. F22 fighters use 5.75t of titanium for the structure, and 5t of titanium for the two jet engines; (see below)5.4. F22 fighter (under development), 36t of titanium for structure, 5t for 2 engines; (see below)
5. Jointly-developed F35 fighter, 10t of titanium for structure, 5t of titanium for a single engine; (see below)
6. F18 shipborne fighter, 12-13% of its gross weight in titanium (net weight); (see below)<
7. the C-17 large transport aircraft, which uses 10% of its gross weight in titanium (net weight); (see below)
8. the European EF2000, which will use less titanium in favor of composites. (see below)
This shows the importance of titanium in the world's aerospace industry, especially in the manufacture of engines and airframes.
The above mentioned that Russia intends to strengthen the control of strategic rare metal titanium, has aroused the attention of the United States, after all, the United States of America's next-generation warplanes with a large proportion of titanium, if Russia's defense export companies control the majority of the shares of the Avisma company, the international price of titanium alloy will inevitably rise, so that the F-22 and F-35 project will have uncertainty in the factors. So recently the largest U.S. titanium Timet has come to China to seek potential partners, hoping to find a similar Russian suppliers in the Chinese market or can be a joint venture factory, the Chinese production of titanium used in the U.S. project, the price is very advantageous, and reliable quality, it can be said that the future U.S. military F-22 and F-35 project is very helpful. (Let even depressed ah ~ ~ ~ ~)
A certain global material supply so prominent impact on the defense industry, rare, this is also the first time since the World War II steel shortage, so the price of the F-22 and F-35 will depend on the future supply of titanium.
Nowadays, the global economy has gradually come out of the doldrums, the international aviation industry is beginning to show recovery growth, the international titanium industry is also ushering in a new period of rapid growth along with this tide, and Chinese companies will also usher in new opportunities. (Sad or happy ah?)
Recent years is the beginning of the fourth generation of fighter jets, followed by many years, each year there will be a lot of new fighters into the army. New fighters in the selection of materials is very careful and forward-looking, in the next many years, the military and the aviation industry is bound to be the first major user of titanium.
Mold recently announced a new submarine-carried "Cormorant" unmanned attack aircraft concept. The "Cormorant" UAV has a length of 5.8 meters and a wingspan of 4.86 meters, and is a multiple re-use unmanned combat aircraft. The "Cormorant" is a conceptual design by the famous Lo-Horse skunk works, because its access is mainly seawater, so the whole machine is made of titanium alloy to prevent corrosion, the total takeoff weight of no more than 4 tons, can carry 453 kg of payload, consider the use of mainly from the Ohio-class nuclear submarines strategic It is considered to be used mainly from the strategic missile tubes of the Ohio class nuclear submarines, mainly for destroying near-shore targets. The air intake is located in the nose area and is triangular in shape. Thanks to the use of titanium alloys, its hull is extremely strong and can withstand pressures up to 150 feet of water. To prevent destabilization by external pressure, all unnecessary space inside the fuselage is filled with special plastic. In order to increase the stealthiness of the flight, its shape also adopts a complex stealth design. "The Cormorant is expected to reach a maximum flight speed of 880 km/h, a cruising speed of 550 km/h, a maximum altitude of 10.7 km, a combat radius of 926 km, and a continuous flight time of 3 hours. Titanium's good qualities are embodied ah! (see below)
②Naval applications of titanium
Naval applications of titanium is also very extensive, the main application of the major powers is the Soviet Union / Russia's submarines.
"Akula" class (Akula) nuclear attack submarine: "Akula" class adopts the teardrop type, double hull, the inside layer is made of titanium alloy. Designed by the Soviet Union's famous "Malachite" submarine design bureau, *** Qingcheng Shipyard and North Dvinsk Shipyard manufacturing. (see below)
Sierra-class nuclear attack submarine: Russia's Sierra-class (also known as S-class) multi-purpose nuclear attack submarine. Can be said to be the Russian nuclear submarine family in the most mysterious one. Mainly because the "Sierra" class boat using titanium alloy double hull, its large depth, high speed, strong firepower and good stealth performance is impressive. However, they were very expensive, nicknamed "Goldfish", and only four were built. (see below)
Titanium in the submarine on the peak of the work, I still think should be awarded to the Typhoon class: the Soviet Union **** built six "Typhoon" class submarines, "Typhoon" is the first of them. "Typhoon" class special features are: it has a complete set of torpedoes, missiles, power plants and other independent navigation and combat systems; the use of double-hull structure, reserve buoyancy of about 32%, the two layers of the shell between the spacing of more than 3 meters, to enhance the resistance to underwater explosions and the impact of the ability. Each Typhoon class with about 9,000 tons of titanium, equivalent to the total titanium production of China's year now! This shows how huge the investment in the military was during the Soviet era. (See below)
Soviet/Russian nuclear submarines with titanium hulls also include the Alpha class, but none of them have formed a certain climate, so I won't describe them again. Titanium on the submarine in addition to the use of the shell, is used in the submarine piping and condenser, now almost all the submarines and surface ships on the condenser are made of titanium, can be said that in the submarine and the life of the ship, generally do not have to replace the titanium condenser, one can save maintenance costs, and the other will not be because of the condenser failure to reduce the rate of attendance.
Titanium housings are rarely reported for submarines from other countries because of the price of the material and production volume.
The performance of titanium and its alloys is unquestionable, and the metallurgical processes of various titanium alloys are something quite routine for the major powers, just a matter of cost considerations. With the development of the economy, the special requirements of national defense also have the ability to ensure that, so that titanium and its alloys in the future civil and military fields will usher in rapid development. At the same time titanium and its alloys will also greatly enhance the performance of some special equipment.
Titanium and its alloys of the future is immeasurable!