Titanium is a trendy metal. Long associated with the aerospace industry, it has recently become a fashion favourite in the jewelry world. But why? Titanium is a lustrous white metal with a low melting point. It’s both strong and flexible and its corrosion resistance is second only to platinum. This combination of properties made it a favourite of the early space industry, where it was used to make everything from rockets to space suits. Titanium plays an equally important role in the fashion world, where it is a major component in dyes, pigments, and alloys, which are used to create jewelry, clothing, and accessories.

The History of Titanium 

In the late 1700s, an English clergyman was doing experiments on black sand near Cornwall. He found a material he couldn't identify so he named it after the region. Later on, a German chemist also found this material in another place but he named it after the Titans from Greek myths. That is how we got the name Titanium for this material which turned out to be a basic element. Even after this discovery though, no one found any use for this interesting compound until the early 1900s.

In 1910, scientists found a way to extract titanium from ores, and it was immediately used to make steel stronger. Also, because of its whiteness, it was used extensively as a pigment in coatings. When the USA government realized how important titanium was to building stronger and lighter aircraft, they began funding the industry, and this aerospace metal was produced in the millions of pounds. Today too, titanium is mostly used in aircraft manufacturing and military applications because of its mechanical properties. 

In the last couple of decades, many more discoveries have been made on this metallic material. Early on it was discovered that titanium has excellent biocompatibility. Due to its chemical properties, it is used all the time in the biomedical field. First as dental implants, but then as we recognized its excellent hard-tissue compatibility; it is used in orthopedic implants in the human body, in medical devices like pacemakers, and in other metallic implants like plates, screws, and fixtures.

The Beauty of Titanium

Titanium is an amazing metal, it has double the strength of Aluminum and is as strong as steel while weighing much less. This makes it useful in nanotechnology (TiO nanotubes is one example) and especially in orthopedic implants since it also doesn't interfere with natural bone formation and even enhances bone regeneration.

Titanium surfaces are naturally resistant to corrosion. This is a major factor in its antibacterial property and again, why it is so important in biomedical applications. Not only will it not corrode in oxygen like most other metals, but it remains strong even in acids. 

This silvery metal is abundant in the earth's crust, which is perfect since we use it in so many products. You very likely have titanium in your own room! Of course, it is used in air and spacecraft, but also in golf clubs, laptops, and crutches. Power plant condensers use titanium pipes because of their resistance to corrosion. And since titanium has won't rust easily in seawater, it is used in desalination plants, ships of every size, and submarines.

The largest use of titanium is in the form of titanium oxide. It is extensively used as a pigment in paint, plastics, enamels, and paper. It is a bright white pigment that is awesome at reflecting infrared radiation, so is used in solar observatories. It's especially helpful when we go to the beach. Titanium oxide is used in sunscreens because it prevents UV light from reaching the skin.

Titanium and Your Body

The main reason why titanium is often used in the body as biomedical implants is due to titanium's biocompatibility. This means that the titanium is not identified by your immune system as harmful foreign material and you don't have an allergic reaction, or worse, reject an implant.  It’s this lack of biological response that makes titanium perfect for clinical application. Scientists are currently testing modifying titanium surfaces to be highly bioactive - that would mean medical implants like a joint replacement that would actually adhere to bones and make the joint as strong as possible. 

Other implant surfaces and parts of surgical instruments have a titanium nitride composite coating; this helps the implant integrate smoothly into the body and also help the surgery go well.  Titanium implants last longer and can withstand much higher forces before breaking compared to their alternatives.

Titanium is used from head to toe in biomedical implants. One can find titanium in neurosurgery, bone conduction hearing aids, false eye implants (on the cortical bone), spinal fusion cages, pacemakers, discs, and shoulder/elbow/hip/knee replacements along with many more.

Is Titanium Bulletproof?

The answer can be both yes and no. Shooting enthusiasts, mechanics and curiosity-driven experimenters have tested different titanium alloys and designs. The results were largely in favour of titanium. Most of the guns used for hunting as well as handguns for self-defence and personal use could not penetrate a sheet of titanium.

However, repeated shooting of the titanium with higher-powered firearms eventually wore down and weakened the titanium so that it was eventually penetrable. In the end, titanium is bulletproof for the most part against bullets fired from guns that one would likely find on the shooting range, on the street, or on the hunt in the mountains. It is important to note that not all grades of titanium are equal. Pure titanium isn’t bulletproof, but certain titanium alloys are. Each grade of titanium has its own benefits and main uses, making it important to do some research or ask an expert. 

Titanium is a super-lightweight but extremely durable metal used in a lot of high-tech products and medical devices. That’s because it’s super strong and flexible, even in extreme temperatures. It is the perfect material for aircraft and medical implants. When titanium cages, rods, plates, and pins are inserted into the body, they can last for upwards of 20 years. And dental titanium, such as titanium posts and implants, can last even longer.

Why is Titanium in My Jewelry?

Titanium is a wonderful metal; it is strong, light, and hypoallergenic. Titanium has been used in medical implants for decades, but it was only recently that researchers started to experiment with using it in fashion accessories. Jewelry manufacturers use titanium because it is strong, durable, and flexible, so it is safe and practical for body jewelry. JUST-TI uses a titanium alloy. The makeup of the alloy is below:

 

Metal	% makeup
Titanium	at least 98.9%
Iron	at most 0.30%
Oxygen	at most 0.25%
Carbon	at most 0.080%

 

This grade of titanium is a perfect blend of strength and biocompatibility and is used in tons of places. Fortunately for people with allergies to nickel, cobalt, or chromium, it is also perfect for earrings that keep your ears happy. All JUST-TI earring hooks, posts, and earring backs (clutch) pass quality control testing to ensure that the proper grade of titanium is used. We use an XRF (like a plasma mass spectrometer used in labs but using x-rays) to confirm the titanium is medical grade.