Aluminium & Titanium

Noadswood Science, 2011

Aluminium & Titanium• To know how aluminium and titanium are used

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Transition Metals• The transition metals are found in the large block between

groups II and groups III in the periodic table

• Most metals are placed here, including iron, titanium, copper and nickel…

Common Properties• The transition metals have these properties in common: -

▫ They are metals▫ They form coloured compounds▫ They are good conductors of heat and electricity▫ They can be hammered or bent into shape easily▫ They are less reactive than alkali metals▫ They have high melting points (but mercury is a liquid at

room temperature)▫ They are hard and tough▫ They have high densities

Aluminium & Titanium• Aluminium and titanium are two metals with a low density –

this means that they are lightweight for their size

• They also have a very thin layer of their oxides on the surface, which stops air and water getting to the metal, so aluminium and titanium resist corrosion making the two metals very useful

• Aluminium is used for aircraft, trains, overhead power cables, saucepans and cooking foil

• Titanium is used for fighter aircraft, artificial hip joints and pipes in nuclear power stations

Extraction• Why can aluminium not be extracted from their oxides by

reduction with carbon?

• Aluminium is more reactive than carbon, so the reaction does not work

PotassiumSodiumCalciumMagnesiumAluminium

(Carbon)ZincIronLead

(Hydrogen)CopperSilverGoldPlatinum

Extraction• Aluminium and titanium cannot be extracted from their

oxides by reduction with carbon: -▫ Aluminium is more reactive than carbon, so the reaction

does not work▫ Titanium forms titanium carbide with carbon, which

makes the metal brittle

• Aluminium extraction is expensive because the process needs a lot of electrical energy in the many stages of extraction

• Titanium extraction is expensive because the process involves several stages and a lot of energy – this especially limits the uses of titanium

Recycling• Aluminium is extensively recycled because less energy is

needed to produce recycled aluminium than to extract aluminium from its ore

• Recycling preserves limited resources and requires less energy, so it causes less damage to the environment

Research• Using the laptops research the SR-71 Blackbird – when

was it developed and to what spec?

• Why was titanium used and to what advantage?

• What properties does titanium have (e.g. maximum operating temperature / density etc…)