The proportion of titanium and titanium alloys in aircraft manufacturing is increasing steadily

Titanium has the characteristics of low density and high strength. In this regard, the performance of titanium is much superior to that of beryllium. For instance, titanium is much stronger and more resilient than iron, yet its weight is only about half that of iron. Moreover, it does not rust. Titanium is slightly heavier than aluminum, but its strength is three times that of aluminum, and its heat resistance is far greater than that of aluminum. The specific strength of titanium is three and a half times that of stainless steel, one point three times that of aluminum alloy, and one point six times that of magnesium alloy. It is the highest among all metal materials available today.

In the current aircraft manufacturing industry, aluminum-magnesium alloys are the main materials. They are lightweight and strong, and have made significant contributions to aircraft manufacturing. However, as the aviation industry develops, aircraft are flying at increasingly higher speeds, and they come into contact with the air, generating heat due to friction, causing the surface temperature of the aircraft to rise rapidly. At this point, aluminum-magnesium alloys can no longer withstand it, and their strength will rapidly decrease. Aluminum-magnesium alloys can withstand a maximum working temperature of around 200 degrees Celsius, which is simply not sufficient to be used to manufacture jet aircraft with a flight speed exceeding twice the speed of sound. Therefore, apart from stainless steel and titanium, there are no other alternatives. However, since the weight of stainless steel is twice that of titanium, high-speed aircraft are made of titanium.

In supersonic jet aircraft, the engines, firewalls in the fuselage, frames, cabin covers, etc., are mostly made of titanium alloys. A large jet transport aircraft has millions of fasteners, among which the amount of titanium used can reach several tons or even tens of tons. Some supersonic long-range interceptor aircraft use titanium accounting for 95% of their structural total volume, earning the title of "Titanium Aircraft".