have been possible. Like aluminum, titanium is alloyed with other metals to improve its properties.
Titanium alloys show excellent resistance to corrosion. Titanium is quite expensive compared to
aluminum and it is heavier than aluminum, having a density which is roughly one-half that of steel.
Because of their relatively high strength-to-weight ratios, titanium alloys are used in both com-
mercial and military airplane airframes (fuselage and wings) and landing gear components. Tita-
nium alloys are becoming a metal of choice in many products; you can find them in golf clubs,
bicycle frames, tennis racquets, and spectacle frames. Because of their excellent corrosion resistance,
titanium alloys have been used in the tubing in desalination plants as well. Replacement hips and
other joints are examples of other applications where titanium is currently being used.
With its silvery white appearance, magnesiumis another lightweight metal that looks like
aluminum, but it is lighter, having a density of approximately 1700 kg/m
3. Pure magnesium
does not provide good strength for structural applications and because of this fact, it is alloyed
with other elements such as aluminum, manganese, and zinc to improve its mechanical char-
acteristics. Magnesium and its alloys are used in nuclear applications, in drycell batteries, and
in aerospace applications and some automobile parts as sacrificial anodes to protect other
metals from corrosion. The mechanical properties of the lightweight metals are shown in
Tables 17.1 through 17.4.
Copper and Its Alloys
Copper is a good conductor of electricity and because of this property is commonly used in
many electrical applications, including home wiring. Copper and many of its alloys are also
good conductors of heat, and this thermal property makes copper a good choice for heat562 Chapter 17 Engineering Materials
Because of their excellent strength-to-weight ratio and resistance to corrosion, titanium alloys are
used to produce a range of products—from bike frames to frames for glasses.Source:Courtesy of Seiko
Corporation of AmericaSource:Courtesy of Litespeed Source:Courtesy Maui Jim, Inc.
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