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Cheap yet ultrapure titanium metal might enable widespread use in industry
Asia Research News ^ | June 17, 2024 | Staff

Posted on 09/27/2024 11:18:45 AM PDT by Red Badger

Researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, have efficiently removed oxygen from high-oxygen-concentration titanium, which might help reduce the production cost of an otherwise versatile metal.

Tokyo, Japan – Titanium is the ninth most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, yet products based on pure titanium are uncommon because it’s expensive to remove the oxygen from titanium ore. Reducing costs would encourage manufacturers to take advantage of the highly useful properties of titanium in their products.

Now, in a study recently published in Nature Communications, researchers from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, have developed a procedure that reduces the cost of producing titanium that’s almost entirely free of oxygen. This oxygen removal protocol might benefit technological development and environmental sustainability.

Titanium is an incredibly versatile material because not only does it typically resist chemical damage, it’s strong yet light. For example, its light weight compared with other metals is why the base frame of modern iPhones consists of titanium alloy, despite the increased cost. Unfortunately, producing ultrapure titanium is significantly more expensive than manufacturing steel (an iron alloy) and aluminum, owing to the substantial use of energy and resources in preparing high-purity titanium. Developing a cheap, easy way to prepare it—and facilitate product development for industry and common consumers—is the problem the researchers aimed to address.

“Industry mass-produces iron and aluminum metal—but not titanium metal, because of the expense of removing the oxygen from the ore,” explains Toru H. Okabe, lead author of the study. “We use an innovative technology based on rare-earth metals that removes oxygen from titanium to 0.02% on a per-mass basis.”

A critical step in the researchers’ protocol is reacting molten titanium with yttrium metal and yttrium trifluoride or a similar substance. The end result is a low-cost, solid, de-oxygenated titanium alloy. The reacted yttrium can be recycled for further use. A highlight of the researchers’ work is that even titanium scrap that contains large amounts of oxygen can be processed in this manner.

“We’re excited by the versatility of our protocol,” says Toru H. Okabe. “The lack of intermediate compounds and straightforward procedures will facilitate adoption in industry.”

This work is an important step forward in making more efficient use of high-purity titanium than at present. A limitation of this work is that the resulting de-oxygenated titanium contains yttrium, up to 1% by mass; yttrium can influence the mechanical and chemical properties of titanium alloy. After solving the yttrium contamination problem, applications to industrial manufacturing will be straightforward.

###

The article, “Direct production of low-oxygen-concentration titanium from molten titanium,” was published in Nature Communications at DOI:10.1038/s41467-024-49085-4.

About Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo

The Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo (UTokyo-IIS) is one of the largest university-attached research institutes in Japan. UTokyo-IIS is comprised of over 120 research laboratories—each headed by a faculty member—and has over 1,200 members (approximately 400 staff and 800 students) actively engaged in education and research. Its activities cover almost all areas of engineering. Since its foundation in 1949, UTokyo-IIS has worked to bridge the huge gaps that exist between academic disciplines and real-world applications.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Health/Medicine; History; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: titanium

1 posted on 09/27/2024 11:18:45 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger

If so than, quick, Biden! Sell all we have to China!


2 posted on 09/27/2024 11:26:39 AM PDT by ArtDodger
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To: Red Badger

Now I can finish that rocket in the backyard.

I always start projects and never finish them...


3 posted on 09/27/2024 11:27:20 AM PDT by dp0622 (Tried a coup, a fake tax story, tramp slander, Russia nonsense, impeachment and a virus. They lost.)
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To: Red Badger

“Cheap yet Ultrapure!” That sounds like a very rich, though
ill mannered young Lady.


4 posted on 09/27/2024 11:38:03 AM PDT by lee martell
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To: lee martell

Rather like a very poor, well mannered one.


5 posted on 09/27/2024 12:29:48 PM PDT by xoxox
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To: Red Badger
yet products based on pure titanium are uncommon because it’s expensive to remove the oxygen from titanium ore. Reducing costs would encourage manufacturers to take advantage of the highly useful properties of titanium

Am I the only one geeky enough to have seen "reducing" in this phrase and thought back to chemistry class and the removal of oxygen from a substance. So they are reducing the reducing cost.

6 posted on 09/27/2024 12:34:47 PM PDT by KarlInOhio (7/13/2024:The day the Democrats and their SA chose assassination as their primary political tool.)
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To: Red Badger

Rearden Metal?


7 posted on 09/27/2024 1:20:50 PM PDT by wally_bert (I cannot be sure for certain, but in my personal opinion I am certain that I am not sure..)
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To: Red Badger

My Ironman suit can come fast enough.


8 posted on 09/27/2024 4:59:57 PM PDT by unlearner (I, Robot: I think I finally understand why Dr. Lanning created me... ;-)
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To: alloysteel; Red Badger

A critical step in the researchers’ protocol is reacting molten titanium with yttrium metal and yttrium trifluoride or a similar substance. The end result is a low-cost, solid, de-oxygenated titanium alloy.

* * *

Sounds like a winner. Will this innovation create an opportunity for the American steel industry?


9 posted on 09/27/2024 5:11:48 PM PDT by poconopundit (MAGA isn’t a slogan it’s a matter of Americas survival.)
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To: poconopundit

Depends on how much titanium deposits we have.

Imagine a car or truck body made of titanium.

As a point of reference, the SR-71 Blackbird fuselage is made of titanium..............


10 posted on 09/27/2024 5:29:43 PM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: poconopundit

Well, looks like we missed out:

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1233845/reserves-titanium-minerals-worldwide-by-country/


11 posted on 09/27/2024 5:31:26 PM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: wally_bert

Might be!..............


12 posted on 09/27/2024 5:47:52 PM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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