Choosing the Right Titanium Grade for Your Application
Titanium is renowned for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. However, with multiple grades available, how do you determine which titanium alloy is best suited to your needs?
If you’ve already explored What is Titanium Used For, you’ll know titanium is widely used across aerospace, medical, marine, and industrial sectors. This guide goes a step further - helping you choose the right titanium grade for your specific application.
Why Titanium Grades Matter
Not all titanium is the same. While every grade shares core characteristics - like corrosion resistance and durability - each variant differs in alloying elements, mechanical properties and suitability for different environments.
Selecting the correct titanium grade ensures optimal performance, safety, and long-term value, whether you're manufacturing aircraft components, surgical implants, or offshore equipment.
At NeoNickel, we supply some of the industry’s most trusted grades:
Titanium Grades by Application
Here’s an overview of key titanium grades and their most common uses:
What to Consider When Choosing a Titanium Grade
Choosing the correct titanium grade depends heavily on the environment, performance requirements, and fabrication processes involved in your application. Below are some of the most important factors to evaluate:
Corrosive Environment
If your component will be exposed to seawater, acidic solutions, or harsh chemical processing conditions, corrosion resistance becomes a top priority.
- Titanium Grade 2 is widely regarded for its outstanding corrosion resistance, particularly in marine and chemical environments. It’s frequently used in heat exchangers, desalination equipment, and pressure vessels.
- Titanium Grade 7, while not commonly stocked, offers even greater corrosion resistance due to its palladium content, making it suitable for more aggressive reducing environments.
High-Strength Requirements
When mechanical strength is critical - such as in aerospace, power generation, or motorsport applications - higher-grade titanium alloys are essential.\
- Ti 6Al-4V (Grade 5) is the most commonly used titanium alloy globally. It combines high tensile strength with fatigue and temperature resistance, making it ideal for aircraft fasteners, structural components, and offshore equipment.
- Ti 6-2-4-2 offers even greater strength and superior performance at elevated temperatures. It is particularly well suited for jet engines, gas turbines, and other demanding high-temperature environments.
Weldability and Fabrication
If your application involves welding or complex fabrication, the grade’s formability and weldability are crucial factors.
- Titanium Grade 2 is considered the most easily weldable and formable grade, and it performs well in applications where joining is necessary.
- Titanium Grade 4, while stronger than Grade 2, still retains good weldability and is commonly used for pressure equipment and welded assemblies in aerospace and medical fields.
- It’s worth noting that high-strength alloys like Grade 5 and Ti 6-2-4-2 can be welded, but typically require more stringent procedures and post-weld treatments.
Medical and Biocompatible Applications
For medical instruments and implants, material purity, mechanical compatibility, and bio-inertness are key selection factors.
- Titanium Grade 4 is frequently used in surgical tools and dental instruments thanks to its high strength and resistance to sterilisation environments.
- Grade 23 (Ti-6Al-4V ELI) - while not listed among NeoNickel’s stocked grades - is the industry standard for implants due to its extra-low interstitial (ELI) content. This gives it superior fracture toughness, ductility, and biocompatibility, making it ideal for orthopaedic implants, pacemakers, and other critical medical devices.
Choosing the right titanium grade isn’t just about specs - it’s about ensuring the material performs exactly as needed for the job. By understanding the key differences between titanium grades, you can select the best fit for your industry’s demands - whether that's aerospace, marine, chemical processing, or medical technology.
Need expert guidance? Contact NeoNickel or explore our wide range of Titanium Alloys.
Related articles:
What Is Titanium Used For? Titanium Grade 5 vs Titanium Grade 2 Titanium alloys Comparison between Titanium Grade 1, Titanium Grade 2 , Titanium Grade 3 and Titanium Grade 4
