Name/Title
Titanium Crystal BarEntry/Object ID
2009.62.49Description
Chemical Composition: Ti 22
Crystal System: Hexagonal System
Description: Common Name:Titanium
Chemistry: Ti 22, Titanium
Group: Element
Location: Manufactured by the Oregon Metallurgical Corporation in Albany, Oregon
Description: Cylinder shaped, metallic. crystals forming in circular fashion.
The crystal bar process (also known as iodide process or the van Arkel–de Boer process) was developed by Anton Eduard van Arkel and Jan Hendrik de Boer in 1925. This process was the first industrial process for the commercial production of pure ductile metallic zirconium. It is used in the production of small quantities of ultra-pure titanium and zirconium. It primarily involves the formation of the metal iodides and their subsequent decomposition to yield pure metal. This process was superseded commercially by the Kroll process.
Impure titanium, zirconium, hafnium, vanadium, thorium or protactinium is heated in an evacuated vessel with iodine at 50–250 °C. Titanium or zirconium iodide (TiI4 or ZrI4) is formed and is volatilized (leaving impurities as solid). At atmospheric pressure TiI4 melts at 150 °C and boils at 377 °C, while ZrI4 melts at 499 °C and boils at 600 °C. The boiling points are lower at reduced pressure. The gaseous metal tetraiodide is decomposed on a white hot tungsten filament (1400 °C). As more metal is deposited the filament conducts better and thus a greater electric current is required to maintain the temperature of the filament.
Hardness: 6 Orthoclase
Luster: Metallic
Occurrence: Titanium is always bonded to other elements in nature. It is the ninth-most abundant element in the Earth's crust (0.63% by mass) and the seventh-most abundant metal. It is present in most igneous rocks and in sediments derived from them (as well as in living things and natural bodies of water). Of the 801 types of igneous rocks analyzed by the United States Geological Survey, 784 contained titanium. Its proportion in soils is approximately 0.5 to 1.5%.
It is widely distributed and occurs primarily in the minerals anatase, brookite, ilmenite, perovskite, rutile, titanite (sphene), as well in many iron ores. Of these minerals, only rutile and ilmenite have any economic importance, yet even they are difficult to find in high concentrations. Significant titanium-bearing ilmenite deposits exist in western Australia, Canada, China, India, New Zealand, Norway, and Ukraine. Large quantities of rutile are also mined in North America and South Africa and help contribute to the annual production of 90,000 tonnes of the metal and 4.3 million tonnes of titanium dioxide. Total reserves of titanium are estimated to exceed 600 million tonnes.
Titanium is contained in meteorites and has been detected in the sun and in M-type stars; the coolest type of star with a surface temperature of 3,200 °C (5,790 °F). Rocks brought back from the moon during the Apollo 17 mission are composed of 12.1% TiO2. It is also found in coal ash, plants, and even the human body.
Rock Type: Igneous
Specific Gravity: 4.5
Variety: The element occurs within a number of mineral deposits, principally rutile and ilmenite, which are widely distributed in the Earth's crust and lithosphere, and it is found in almost all living things, rocks, water bodies, and soils. Its most common compound, titanium dioxide, is used in the manufacture of white pigments. Other compounds include titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) (used in smoke screens/skywriting and as a catalyst) and titanium trichloride (TiCl3) (used as a catalyst in the production of polypropylene).
Titanium can be alloyed with iron, aluminium, vanadium, molybdenum, among other elements, to produce strong lightweight alloys for aerospace (jet engines, missiles, and spacecraft), military, industrial process (chemicals and petro-chemicals, desalination plants, pulp, and paper), automotive, agri-food, medical prostheses, orthopedic implants, dental and endodontic instruments and files, dental implants, sporting goods, jewelry, mobile phones, and other applications.Collection
RAGM Mineral CollectionAcquisition
Accession
2009.62Source or Donor
Museum Collection of MineralsAcquisition Method
DonationDimensions
Width
1-1/2 inDepth
1-1/2 inLength
6 inWeight
0.73 ozDimension Notes
Dimension taken at widest pointsLocation
Category
PermanentMoved By
Ian CunninghamDate
August 28, 2022Location
Container
LeftDrawer
2nd shelfShelf
center, centerWall
SouthRoom
Delmar Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentMoved By
Wendy MondryDate
January 12, 2010Location
Container
middleDrawer
bottomShelf
left side, left sideWall
SouthRoom
Delmar Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
PermanentMoved By
Catherine BoydDate
December 16, 2009Location
Container
LeftDrawer
Top ShelfShelf
LeftCabinet
Case #58Wall
SouthRoom
Delmar Smith HallBuilding
Crater Rock MuseumCategory
Permanent