Introduction Titanium like all of the elements that make up the universe is created by dying stars When a star dies it grows very large quickly collapses and then explodes into a supernova This explosion is the most powerful force in the universe often causing a burst of light so bright that it briefly outshines the galaxy in which it occurs The explosion sends a cloud of elements speeding out into the universe These elements eventually form planets moons and more stars The titanium released by a supernova can help scientists determine when the supernova occurred For example the supernova that took place closest to Earth happened around the year 1 250 However there are no written records of it occurring despite the fact that it would have been as bright as the moon This has led some scientists to the conclusion that some supernovas do not give off visible light How do scientists know it happened if no one reported seeing it The answer is titanium-44 a radioactive form of titanium It can be found in the expanding cloud caused by a supernova As it decays over time titanium-44 emits gamma rays which can be detected by scientists In 1998 scientists discovered a trail of titanium-44 gamma rays within an immense cloud of hot gas about 700 light-years from Earth This cloud is a remnant of a supernova By measuring the gamma rays created by
Introduction This picture taken by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2005 shows the Crab Nebula The nebula formed when a star exploded in 1054 It was witnessed in the daytime sky by Chinese and Arab astronomers The Crab Nebula has been expanding ever since titanium-44 scientists were able to estimate the age of the expanding cloud Scientists believe that the supernova occurred roughly 700 years ago From the distant reaches of the universe to the earth beneath our feet titanium is one of the most interesting elements on the periodic table It is a metal lighter and stronger than most others These characteristics
Titanium alone allow titanium to outperform other materials in a wide variety of applications from powerful jet engines to beautiful jewelry Other appli(cid:173) cations however may surprise you One compound of is commonly used as a white pigment in paints papers makeup and foods An alloy of titanium can even remember its original shape and return to it after being bent and warped titanium Titanium wasn't widely used until the 1940s and 1950s However our understanding of the element has come a long way since then As titanium refining and production become more affordable it is quickly becoming a wonder metal with hundreds of forms and uses Titanium car parts will be stronger longer lasting more rust resistant and shinier than today's parts They will also save gas because they will be lighter Titanium skyscrapers will stretch higher than ever before Athletes will break long-standing records using titanium equipment Titanium is quickly proving to be the metal of the future 96
Chapter One The History of Titanium Titanium symbol Ti is the ninth most abundant element on Earth and the sixth most abundant metal on Earth after aluminum iron sodium potassium and magnesium Titanium is never found as a metal in nature It is most often found as a component of the minerals rutile and ilmenite but it is also found in many other minerals including silicates and oxides Titanium is often present in sandy areas such as beaches Traces of titanium are present in humans animals plants soils and bodies of water Pure titanium is lustrous or shiny and silvery in color It is lightweight for a metal and very strong It resists corrosion and can be easily shaped It is available in many forms today including sheets bars and powders It is commonly combined with other elements such as oxygen nickel and aluminum to create other useful materials Titanium's unique character istics make it one of the most useful metals Discovery Titanium was discovered in 1791 by the English mineralogist Reverend William Gregor One day Gregor found a curious black sand near a stream in the village of Manaccan England Gregor discovered that the sand was attracted to a magnet After analyzing the strange sand he discovered
