Titanium is being used in the ever growing consumer marine market. Its weight reduction and corrosion resistance means it is being used instead of steel for high end and small component parts.
A perfect environment for titanium to perform is in seawater. Titanium it at it’s best in seawater due to the corrosion resistance of the metal. Crevice corrosion, pitting, stress corrosion cracking, or microbiologically influenced corrosion in seawater are not issues when titanium is the material of choice.
Marine applications of titanium include:
- ship propellers
- shipboard heat exchangers
- piping systems
- ballast systems
- waste systems
- tidal zone protection
- shipboard hardware
- tie-downs
Titanium is not just used on major commercial/military ships, but it is found in various applications on fishing boats, deep sea submersibles and submarines. Titanium has been designed into marine applications when engineers are looking for low maintenance costs and reduced fuel consumption (due to weight reduction), to go along with the outstanding metallurgical properties associated with the metal.