High-Performance Titanium Alloys for Aircraft: Strength, Lightweight and Longevity

As we all know, the density of titanium is 4.5 g/cm³, so the weight of titanium is very light, which is perfect for use in airplanes, and as the weight becomes lighter, it greatly saves fuel costs. Although titanium is lightweight, the specific strength of titanium for aeronautical use can reach 200–250 MPa・cm³/g, which is very high and perfect for aircraft.

Superior Corrosion Resistance

A protective film of titanium dioxide is formed on the surface of titanium, which makes titanium very corrosion-resistant. The aviation environment is very harsh, usually experiencing salt spray, high-altitude moisture, and extreme temperature differences, and the corrosion resistance of titanium can just meet the requirements. And it can extend the service life of aircraft components without frequent maintenance, reducing O&M costs.

Excellent High-Temperature & Thermal Stability

The performance of titanium at 300-600°C is still stable and will not change due to temperature increase. This also meets the requirements of aero engines.

Compatibility with Composite Materials

Titanium has good electrochemical properties and other excellent properties, making it the material of choice in aviation.

Key Applications of Titanium in Aircraft

Aircraft Airframe & Structural Components

The fuselage frame, engine pylons, load-bearing beams, and hatch structures of aircraft are usually made of Gr5 titanium alloy, which is Ti-6Al-4V alloy. For example, the Boeing 787 airliner uses more than 15% titanium alloy material.

Aircraft Engine Components

The core components of aircraft engines, such as fan blades, compressor blades, compressor receivers, titanium alloy oil pipes, engine mounts, and auxiliary power units, are usually made of titanium alloy.

Landing Gear System

The cushion struts, torsion arms, landing gear support links, landing gear doors/covers and other materials of the aircraft landing gear are all made of titanium alloy, because the lightweight characteristics of titanium alloy can reduce the impact load during aircraft takeoff and landing, greatly improve the life of the landing gear, and ensure the safety of takeoff and landing.

Aviation Fasteners & Small Parts

There are many types of titanium fasteners used in aircraft, including: titanium high lock bolts, titanium socket head screws, titanium nuts, titanium alloy gaskets, solid titanium rivets, titanium alloy pins, etc. High-strength TC4 titanium alloy, TA2 pure titanium with excellent corrosion resistance, TB5β titanium alloy with good cold heading performance, and high-strength Ti-5533 alloy are usually used.

Hydraulic & Fuel System Parts

High-pressure hydraulic pipelines, pipeline joints/tees/flanges (titanium tees, titanium flanges), fuel delivery lines, mailbox baffles, fasteners and other components in the aircraft hydraulic system are all made of titanium alloy. TA1/TA2 pure titanium, TC4 titanium alloy, Ti-6Al-4V ELI titanium alloy, TA18 (Ti-3Al-2.5V) titanium alloy, etc. are usually used.

Aerospace-Grade Titanium Standards & Quality Control

Industry Standards

The international standards for aerospace grade titanium are ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) and AMS (Aerospace Materials Standard).

Generally, the standard for products such as titanium sheet/titanium strip/titanium foil is ASTM B265, the standard for products such as titanium bars/titanium forgings is ASTM B348, and the standard for titanium plates for aviation is AMS 4911.

Quality Control Process:

From the melting, forging, heat treatment and subsequent precision processing of titanium raw materials, the whole process must be non-destructive testing (UT testing or X-ray testing), mechanical property testing and chemical composition analysis, and each batch of titanium products must be accompanied by a material certificate (MTC) to ensure that the titanium has no internal defects and its performance meets aviation standards.

Our Products

Our product advantages:

The purity can meet the requirements of aviation grade, the comprehensive performance is stable, and it meets the industry standards of aviation grade.

Supports custom sizes, specifications, materials, and other information to meet the needs of a wide range of aviation components.

We are large-scale production and fine processing, with stable delivery cycles.

We can also provide technical support and selection advice.

Our core products

We are able to provide pure titanium TA1/Gr1, TA2/Gr2, Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-15333 and other aerospace-grade special titanium alloys.

In addition, we also have many types of titanium products such as titanium rods, titanium plates, titanium wires, titanium pipes, titanium fasteners, and titanium forgings, etc.

Conclusion

All in all, the application of titanium in the aviation field is very important and comprehensive. Therefore, choosing high-quality aviation titanium materials is the key to improving aircraft performance and reducing aircraft operation and maintenance costs. Baoji Taihengte has been engaged in the manufacture of titanium products for many years, welcome to consult us at any time.

FAQ

6.1 I provide drawings, can you produce according to the drawings？

Of course, we also have professional designers who can help you draw drawings.

6.2 TA2 and TC4, who has stronger corrosion resistance？

TA2 is pure titanium, with a titanium content of Ti > 99.2%, and pure titanium has stronger corrosion resistance. TC4 is a Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy, which is a α+β duplex structure with slightly worse corrosion resistance.

6.3 Where is titanium used in aircraft?

Titanium has many uses in aircraft, usually in fuselage structural parts, engine components, landing gear systems, hydraulic piping systems, fasteners and connector parts, etc.

6.4 What’s the disadvantages of titanium in aircraft?

The disadvantages of aerospace-grade titanium are high cost, difficult processing, low elastic modulus, extremely low thermal conductivity, and high chemical activity.

6.5 What’s the aerospace titanium price?

The price of aerospace grade titanium varies depending on the purity, form, grade, standard, etc. of the titanium products used. The specific price should be determined according to the actual situation.