Steel and titanium are the go-to elements for designers looking for rugged and tough materials. Available in a wide assortment, there are dozens of titanium alloys and hundreds of steel alloys to choose from to suit various project needs.
Steel alloys were perfected during the 20th century and have become the most useful and varied metal on earth. Steel is created by enriching iron with carbon and adding other elements such as chrome, manganese, molybdenum, and even titanium. While dense and hard, steel is also extremely workable. It responds well to heat treatment to strengthen and increase hardness. It is also magnetic and can conduct heat and electricity. While steel is susceptible to corrosion, stainless steel is not.
First purified into its metallic form in the early 1900’s, titanium is the fourth most abundant element on earth. Unfortunately, it is difficult to find in quantity as well as to purify or refine. When strengthening alloys are added to titanium, it can be used in aerospace and for biomedical devices.
Titanium is half as dense as steel and is therefore known as a “light metal”. It is also more elastic or flexible and easier to bend. But because of this, titanium is difficult to machine as it gums up mills and drills.
When it comes to tensile and yield strength, titanium is about the same as steel, but at half the weight. It also stretches (elongates) far more than steel before breaking, extending to almost half its length before fracturing.
Just think about combining all the advantages of steel with the advantages of titanium. This would create a “super wear steel”.
These specialty products are steels created by combining the best properties of both steel and titanium. After seven years of experimenting through chemistry and using heat treatments, the people at Industeel France developed and patented two completely new wear resistant steels known in North America as ENDURA steel and ENDURA Dual steel.
Both are based on a revolutionary metallurgical phenomenon known as the “trip effect,” which refers to transformation induced by plasticity.
Think of catching a baseball. When you hold out your hand in a ridged position and the ball crashes into it, there is potential for damage. Now imagine letting your hand “give a little” as you catch the ball, like a trampoline. There is a great reduction in the damage to your hand. This is the “trip effect” of ENDURA when rocks, gravel, and other abrasive materials crash into it, and this is why it outlasts all other wear resistant steels.
These two unique wear resistant steels are titanium carbides and are extremely easy to process. They feature a homogeneous microstructure, the trip effect, and harden to a very high level when in service.
If you developed them, wouldn’t you patent them as well?
To learn more about the differences between steel and titanium, and the benefits of both, contact us, your Wear & Impact Steel Specialists today.
Steel and titanium are both strong metals that are commonly used. Users are often left questioning which one is better for their project. At metal plating company, Dorsetware, we have put together a helpful guide to explore the two metals.
When alloyed with other metals such as aluminium or vanadium, titanium becomes dramatically stronger than many steels. In terms of sheer strength, the best titanium alloys beat low-to-medium grade stainless steels. However, the highest grade of stainless steel is stronger than titanium alloys. We recommend sticking with a common titanium alloy if you’re looking for strength.
Given its strength, titanium is remarkably light. When compared to steel in a strength-to-weight ratio, titanium is far superior. The metal is as strong as steel but remains 45% lighter. In fact, titanium has the highest strength-to-weight ratio of all known metals.
Stainless steel is very commonly used in modern construction as it is hard, flexible, and easily welded. Steel is also used in products with blades such as knives, as it is harder than titanium. Blades made from high grade steel last for longer than titanium blades. This is because steel often takes longer to deform than titanium. In terms of metal finishing services, stainless steel passivation can reduce the chemical reactivity of its surface. The passivation of stainless steel is important to increase the material lifespan and ensure application safety. It is also often used as a parent metal and covered with a metal plating.
Due to its impressive strength-to-weight ratio, titanium alloys are regularly used in strong products that benefit from being light. Examples of these include tennis rackets and bicycles. However, it is also used in ship hulls and propeller shafts due to its resistance to seawater. In terms of metal plating, electroplating services can be of benefit to titanium. For example, adding platinum to the metal can improve its appearance.
Want to learn more about steel, titanium, or our metal coating services? Call Dorsetware today on 01202 677939 or fill in our online contact form. A friendly member of the team will be happy to help or advise on any of metal finishing services.