Do you know the natural Titanium color? Are you aware of its natural hue after being mined? In this blog, we’ll focus on identifying the natural color of the metal of the future.
Not only that, because since Titanium is known to be processed and refined, we’ll also take a look at Titanium’s available colors after processing and refining.
Without further ado, let’s start knowing about titanium more!
Titanium In a Nutshell
Titanium is a part of the metal family and is known for being lightweight, strong, and corrosion-resistant. It is the rightful owner of the chemical symbol, (Ti), and the atomic number 22.
This silvery-gray metal is used in a lot of different everyday items and machinery components. Overall, titanium is a well-off metal that many businesses and companies need to push through
Who Discovered Titanium?
In 1791, William Gregor, a British clergyman and mineralogist, discovered titanium while studying sand in the Manaccan Valley. He identified an iron oxide and an unknown metal, which he named “menachanite.”
Unfortunately, his discovery went unnoticed at the time. The material Gregor analyzed, now called ilmenite, remains the most important ore for titanium extraction. In 1795, German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth rediscovered titanium during his research on rutile.
He named it after the Titans of Greek mythology, not for its strength, but because its name felt neutral, following Antoine Lavoisier’s principles.
What Does Titanium Color Look Like?
Most people have the misconception about titanium’s color. They think of it as color black, color gray, silver, sometimes even green. But, what is titanium’s real color? What is its natural color?
Titanium’s natural color when it’s mined from the earth is silvery, grayish-white that has a lustrous hue. Its surface is often naturally shiny and polished.
The beauty with titanium is that it can take on nearly any color needed through the process of anodizing.
Is Titanium a Gray Color?
Yes and no – let me explain. Titanium is a milky, silvery, grayish-white hue in its most natural form. Meaning, it is not sitting at a single color because of the graze and shininess it has.
Yes, it is gray because it sides more to the silvery, gray, white hue. No, because it’s not really just gray like how we know gray–it’s more of a grayish, milky white type of color.
This is the natural aesthetic of titanium when they’re extracted from ilmenite and rutile ores. It’s the typical color that you’ll see after they’re mined from the ores.
REMARQUE: For most people who know titanium to be gray, it could be because of type 2 anodized titanium, where wear resistance is increased and enhanced, and the pigment or surface turns medium dark gray.
What Other Colors Can Titanium Be?
One thing that’s actually praised about titanium is its aesthetics, its appeal. While its natural color is milky, silvery white color, you can actually get them in other colors, too. How? Through anodizing.
Anodizing is the most common form or method of enhancing the overall properties of titanium. As a side effect, its surface color will change, too.
Types 1, 2, and 3 Titanium Anodizing
To understand the colors further, it’s imperative that you know about the different type of anodized titanium.
REMARQUE: Type 1 is not often used and is considered to be the less common. They’re just typically used in high temperature applications.
Type 2 Anodized Titanium
Type 2 anodizing is primarily known for enhancing wear resistance and reducing friction between titanium surfaces. This process creates a protective oxide layer on the titanium, which significantly decreases the production of unwanted titanium dust when parts rub against each other.
The resulting surface from Type 2 anodizing is a distinct gray color, offering clear differentiation from untreated titanium or other materials like stainless steel. This finish is achieved through additional steps such as bead blasting to remove any residual white film after the anodizing process.
Type 3 Anodized Titanium
On the other hand, this process is widely used in the medical field, enabling quick visual identification of parts during procedures. For instance, surgeons can effortlessly distinguish bone screws or fixation plates based on their colors, streamlining operations.
The color spectrum available through Type 3 anodizing ranges from gold, purple, and blue to teal, green, and magenta, depending on the oxide layer’s thickness.
REMARQUE: However, it’s worth noting that red tones are not achievable due to the physical limitations of the interference phenomenon that creates the colors.
Does Titanium Rust or Turn Green?
The quick and easy answer is no, it does not. Titanium does not rust because it doesn’t contain iron, which is necessary for rust to form.
Instead, when exposed to air, titanium develops a thin, protective layer of titanium dioxide. This layer prevents corrosion and enhances its resistance to moisture and environmental damage.
As for turning green, titanium won’t exhibit this behavior under normal conditions. Green discoloration is common with metals like copper, which form patina over time. Titanium’s stable oxide layer keeps it from reacting in the same way.
However, you can manually turn it into color green if you choose to, given that you’ll be anodizing it to improve aesthetics.
How is Titanium Anodized?
The process of anodizing titanium differs from one manufacturer to another. But for this process, we have outlined the common and most-followed procedure businesses do in anodizing titanium.
Check this video out! The user showcases the process of anodizing titanium, changing its colors depending on the voltage.
Titanium anodizing is an electrochemical process that enhances its surface by creating a controlled oxide layer, which reflects vibrant colors. So, here’s a simplified breakdown of how it all goes and works:
Step #1: Preparation
The first step is often the most critical. Titanium is cleaned using an alkaline solution to remove grease, dirt, or organic contaminants.
What this does is ensure that the surface is even and flat for the anodization process.
Step #2: Electrolyte Bath
Then, the next step is where most of the magic happens. The titanium is submerged in an electrolyte solution, often trisodium phosphate (TSP).
This solution acts as the medium for the electrochemical reaction, causing the changes in the surface, as well as properties of the titanium.
Step #3: Applying Voltage
After the bath, the component is left for a few minutes to let it sweat. Then, direct current is applied, with the titanium serving as the anode (positive electrode).
The voltage determines the oxide layer’s thickness and the resulting color.
Step #4: Oxygen Layer Formation
Electricity causes water molecules in the solution to split, releasing oxygen. This oxygen bonds with the titanium surface, forming an oxide layer.
Step #5: Color Creation
Then the layer’s thickness refracts light, producing an interference effect that creates various colors without dyes.
Adjusting the voltage can yield shades from bronze to green, but not pure red due to optical physics. So, to adjust the color, you need to adjust the voltage to get the specific color or hue you’re looking for.
Step #6: Final Rinse and Inspection
After achieving the desired color, the part is rinsed and inspected for consistency. For the most part, manufacturers subject their finished products to strict quality assessment and inspection to inspect for deformities and defects.
And that is the usual step-by-step process on how titanium is anodized; that is how they get the different colors you know them from.
Where to Get Titanium For Components and Parts
There are actually countless areas where you can get titanium–and it all depends on the type of titanium you want. Some suppliers want to get their titanium orders raw, from the source or the ore.
For these types, you need to get with a mining company directly. They often open orders for titanium depending on weight and volume.
However, if you need enhanced and pre-processed titanium, you can get them from companies that offer them, like us here at HDC. HDC has been one of China’s most trusted and most-banked on suppliers for different alloys, stainless steels, and even plastic parts.
Besides us, you can go to American, European, and other Asian manufacturers, too! But if you want world-class quality, feel free to reach out to us and our team of experts.
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