Discovery date : 1791
Discovered by: William Gregor
Origin of the name: The name is derived from the Titans, the sons of the Earth goddess of Greek mythology.
Allotropes :
~>TITANIUM is a chemical element with symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It is a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength. Titanium is resistant to corrosion in sea water, aqua regia, and chlorine.
| FACT BOX | |||
| Group | 4 | Melting point | 1670°C, 3038°F, 1943 K |
| Period | 4 | Boiling point | 3287°C, 5949°F, 3560 K |
| Block | d | Density (g cm−3) | 4.506 |
| Atomic number | 22 | Relative atomic mass | 47.867 |
| State at 20°C | Solid | Key isotopes | 48Ti |
| Electron configuration | [Ar] 3d24s2 | CAS number | 7440-32-6 |
| ChemSpider ID | 22402 | ChemSpider is a free chemical structure database | |
The first titanium mineral, a black sand called menachanite, was discovered in 1791 in Cornwall by the Reverend William Gregor. He analysed it and deduced it was made up of the oxides of iron and an unknown metal, and reported it as such to the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall.
In 1795, the German scientist Martin Heinrich Klaproth of Berlin investigated a red ore known as Schörl from Hungary. This is a form of rutile (TiO2) and Klaproth realised it was the oxide of a previously unknown element which he named titanium. When he was told of Gregor’s discovery he investigated menachanite and confirmed it too contained titanium.
It was not until 1910 that M. A. Hunter, working for General Electric in the USA, made pure titanium metal by heating titanium tetrachloride and sodium metal.