Titanium ring
Encyclopedia
Titanium rings are jewelry rings or bands which have been primarily constructed from titanium. The actual compositions of titanium can vary, such as "commercial pure" (99.2% titanium) or "aircraft grade" (primarily, 90% titanium
, 6% aluminum, 4% vanadium
), and titanium rings are often crafted in combination with other materials, such as gemstones and traditional jewelry metals. Even with these variations in composition and materials, titanium rings are commonly referred to as such if they contain any amount of titanium.
Rings crafted from titanium are a modern phenomenon, becoming widely available on the market around the 1990s. Titanium rings offer several unique properties: they are biocompatible (hypoallergenic
), lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and have the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal.
, England, in 1791 by William Gregor
. It was also discovered around the same time by Hungarian mineralogist Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein
, and later in 1795 by German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth
– the latter of which gave titanium its name, after the Titans of Greek mythology.
However, it was not until after 1932 that commercial use for titanium became possible, due to methods established by William Justin Kroll. Kroll devised ways of reducing titanium tetrachloride
(TiCl4) into its metal form. His process
is still used today for commercially-produced titanium.
The value of titanium rings can be very high. This is ostensibly because the process of extracting titanium from its various ores is laborious and costly. Although it is indeed expensive as an engineering material, it is still cheaper than the jeweller's usual precious metals, even silver
.
It is unknown who first crafted titanium into a ring or other jewelry piece. Titanium started appearing on the open market in approximately the 1990s. Since 2000, availability of titanium rings has become large-scale, with most online and bricks-and-mortar jewelry stores likely to carry titanium-based rings as part of their inventory. Many outlets now specialize exclusively in the design and sale of titanium rings.
. The usual jewelry-making techniques of rolling and soldering are not practical for titanium.
), or non-toxic to the human body. Similarly, titanium rings will not react with wearers who suffer allergies to other jewelry materials.
It is highly resistant to most causes of corrosion, including sea water, aqua regia
, chlorine (in water), and some acids. It is soluble in concentrated acids, however. Titanium rings are therefore practical for those who regularly swim in the ocean or chlorinated pools, for example. This is in contrast to some traditional jewelry materials, such as silver, brass and bronze, which are prone to tarnish
ing and other manifestations of deterioration.
Titanium rings, depending on composition, have varying degrees of fatigue resistance and tensile strength. However, almost all well-known compositions feature higher fatigue resistance, as well as strength-to-weight ratios, than most – if not all - known metals.
Titanium rings are almost impossible to resize. They are only slightly more difficult to cut off in case of emergency than for gold rings; titanium is comparable to steel
in its resistance to sawing.
, cola
is popularly used, and a DC voltage, around 100V, is applied. The voltage controls the thickness, and thus the colour, of the anodization.
Dyes are not necessary in the anodization of titanium. The color that results on a titanium ring depends on the thickness of the oxide coating, which is determined by the anodizing voltage. The image to the left shows the color spectrum range that can be achieved via anodization. The colors, which are simply different wavelengths of light, arise from constructive interference
between the light reflected from the surface of the oxide layer and light reflected from the metal surface below.
One of the most common compositions for titanium rings is known as "aircraft grade" (also referred to as 6AL-4V or 6-4) titanium, because the composition is famous for its use in aircraft construction (however, it is also used for medical, marine and chemical processing purposes). It is a blend of 6% aluminum, 4% vanadium and 90% titanium (as well as trace amounts of iron and oxygen; max 0.25% and 0.2% respectively), and is one of the strongest and most lightweight of other known compositions. Aircraft grade titanium is often used in crafting titanium rings due to its advantageous and suitable properties (compared with other titanium compositions), as well as its wide commercial availability.
s are the result of combining or joining two or more metals into one ring. It is not to be confused with alloy
ing. The process of inlaying involves crushing the metals into channels, which are then trapped under pressure. On a ring, this usually results in metals sitting side-by-side on the surface – for example, a strip of gold running through the middle of an otherwise titanium ring.
The purpose of inlays are to enable the various metals within a titanium ring to be visibly distinguishable.
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
, 6% aluminum, 4% vanadium
Vanadium
Vanadium is a chemical element with the symbol V and atomic number 23. It is a hard, silvery gray, ductile and malleable transition metal. The formation of an oxide layer stabilizes the metal against oxidation. The element is found only in chemically combined form in nature...
), and titanium rings are often crafted in combination with other materials, such as gemstones and traditional jewelry metals. Even with these variations in composition and materials, titanium rings are commonly referred to as such if they contain any amount of titanium.
Rings crafted from titanium are a modern phenomenon, becoming widely available on the market around the 1990s. Titanium rings offer several unique properties: they are biocompatible (hypoallergenic
Hypoallergenic
Hypoallergenic, meaning "below normal" or "slightly" allergenic, was a term first used in a cosmetics campaign in 1953. It is used to describe items that cause or are claimed to cause fewer allergic reactions...
), lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and have the highest strength-to-weight ratio of any metal.
History
Titanium was discovered in CornwallCornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
, England, in 1791 by William Gregor
William Gregor
William Gregor was the British clergyman and mineralogist who discovered the elemental metal titanium.-Early years:...
. It was also discovered around the same time by Hungarian mineralogist Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein
Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein
Franz-Joseph Müller Freiherr von Reichenstein or Franz-Joseph Müller von Reichenstein was an Austrian mineralogist and mining engineer. Müller held several positions in the Austria-Hungarian administration of mines and coinage in the Banat, Transylvania, and Tyrol...
, and later in 1795 by German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth
Martin Heinrich Klaproth
Martin Heinrich Klaproth was a German chemist.Klaproth was born in Wernigerode. During a large portion of his life he followed the profession of an apothecary...
– the latter of which gave titanium its name, after the Titans of Greek mythology.
However, it was not until after 1932 that commercial use for titanium became possible, due to methods established by William Justin Kroll. Kroll devised ways of reducing titanium tetrachloride
Titanium tetrachloride
Titanium tetrachloride is the inorganic compound with the formula TiCl4. It is an important intermediate in the production of titanium metal and the pigment titanium dioxide. TiCl4 is an unusual example of a metal halide that is highly volatile...
(TiCl4) into its metal form. His process
Kroll process
Kroll Process is a pyrometallurgical industrial process used to produce metallic titanium. It was invented by William J. Kroll in Luxembourg. After moving to the United States, Kroll further developed the method for the production of zirconium...
is still used today for commercially-produced titanium.
The value of titanium rings can be very high. This is ostensibly because the process of extracting titanium from its various ores is laborious and costly. Although it is indeed expensive as an engineering material, it is still cheaper than the jeweller's usual precious metals, even silver
Silver
Silver is a metallic chemical element with the chemical symbol Ag and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it has the highest electrical conductivity of any element and the highest thermal conductivity of any metal...
.
It is unknown who first crafted titanium into a ring or other jewelry piece. Titanium started appearing on the open market in approximately the 1990s. Since 2000, availability of titanium rings has become large-scale, with most online and bricks-and-mortar jewelry stores likely to carry titanium-based rings as part of their inventory. Many outlets now specialize exclusively in the design and sale of titanium rings.
Construction
Titanium rings are constructed using solid bars, tubes or sheets of titanium, which are cut into the desired shape and size of a ring. The metal can be machined using the same equipment and via the same engineering processes as stainless steelStainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
. The usual jewelry-making techniques of rolling and soldering are not practical for titanium.
Properties
Titanium has become popular as a jewelry material due to its various unique properties. Titanium is biocompatible (often referred to as hypoallergenicHypoallergenic
Hypoallergenic, meaning "below normal" or "slightly" allergenic, was a term first used in a cosmetics campaign in 1953. It is used to describe items that cause or are claimed to cause fewer allergic reactions...
), or non-toxic to the human body. Similarly, titanium rings will not react with wearers who suffer allergies to other jewelry materials.
It is highly resistant to most causes of corrosion, including sea water, aqua regia
Aqua regia
Aqua regia or aqua regis is a highly corrosive mixture of acids, fuming yellow or red solution, also called nitro-hydrochloric acid. The mixture is formed by freshly mixing concentrated nitric acid and hydrochloric acid, usually in a volume ratio of 1:3, respectively...
, chlorine (in water), and some acids. It is soluble in concentrated acids, however. Titanium rings are therefore practical for those who regularly swim in the ocean or chlorinated pools, for example. This is in contrast to some traditional jewelry materials, such as silver, brass and bronze, which are prone to tarnish
Tarnish
Tarnish is a thin layer of corrosion that forms over copper, brass, silver, aluminum, and other similar metals as their outermost layer undergoes a chemical reaction. Tarnish does not always result from the sole effects of oxygen in the air. For example, silver needs hydrogen sulfide to tarnish; it...
ing and other manifestations of deterioration.
Titanium rings, depending on composition, have varying degrees of fatigue resistance and tensile strength. However, almost all well-known compositions feature higher fatigue resistance, as well as strength-to-weight ratios, than most – if not all - known metals.
Titanium rings are almost impossible to resize. They are only slightly more difficult to cut off in case of emergency than for gold rings; titanium is comparable to steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
in its resistance to sawing.
Anodization
Anodization of titanium rings is the process whereby an oxide film is formed on the surface of the titanium via an electrolytic process to create color. In the case of titanium rings, this process is performed after it is machined into shape. Oxidation changes the ordinary titanium color (generally silver, depending on composition and processing) and increases corrosion-resistance. The anodization process is extremely simple to carry out: the piece is immersed in an electrolyteElectrolyte
In chemistry, an electrolyte is any substance containing free ions that make the substance electrically conductive. The most typical electrolyte is an ionic solution, but molten electrolytes and solid electrolytes are also possible....
, cola
Cola
Cola is a carbonated beverage that was typically flavored by the kola nut as well as vanilla and other flavorings, however, some colas are now flavored artificially. It became popular worldwide after druggist John Pemberton invented Coca-Cola in 1886...
is popularly used, and a DC voltage, around 100V, is applied. The voltage controls the thickness, and thus the colour, of the anodization.
Dyes are not necessary in the anodization of titanium. The color that results on a titanium ring depends on the thickness of the oxide coating, which is determined by the anodizing voltage. The image to the left shows the color spectrum range that can be achieved via anodization. The colors, which are simply different wavelengths of light, arise from constructive interference
Thin-film interference
Thin-film interference is the phenomenon that occurs when incident light waves reflected by the upper and lower boundaries of a thin film interfere with one another to form a new wave. Studying this new wave can reveal information about the surfaces from which its components reflected, including...
between the light reflected from the surface of the oxide layer and light reflected from the metal surface below.
Titanium compositions
Titanium can be alloyed with many other metals to enhance or alter titanium's properties. The most common alloy partners for titanium are aluminum, vanadium, iron, molybdenum and copper. Each alters titanium's properties for various purposes – for example, copper can be used to harden titanium.One of the most common compositions for titanium rings is known as "aircraft grade" (also referred to as 6AL-4V or 6-4) titanium, because the composition is famous for its use in aircraft construction (however, it is also used for medical, marine and chemical processing purposes). It is a blend of 6% aluminum, 4% vanadium and 90% titanium (as well as trace amounts of iron and oxygen; max 0.25% and 0.2% respectively), and is one of the strongest and most lightweight of other known compositions. Aircraft grade titanium is often used in crafting titanium rings due to its advantageous and suitable properties (compared with other titanium compositions), as well as its wide commercial availability.
Inlays
InlayInlay
Inlay is a decorative technique of inserting pieces of contrasting, often coloured materials into depressions in a base object to form patterns or pictures that normally are flush with the matrix. In a wood matrix, inlays commonly use wood veneers, but other materials like shells, mother-of-pearl,...
s are the result of combining or joining two or more metals into one ring. It is not to be confused with alloy
Alloy
An alloy is a mixture or metallic solid solution composed of two or more elements. Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure, while partial solutions give two or more phases that may or may not be homogeneous in distribution, depending on thermal history...
ing. The process of inlaying involves crushing the metals into channels, which are then trapped under pressure. On a ring, this usually results in metals sitting side-by-side on the surface – for example, a strip of gold running through the middle of an otherwise titanium ring.
The purpose of inlays are to enable the various metals within a titanium ring to be visibly distinguishable.