Ferrotitanium is a ferroalloy composed of titanium and iron, with occasional trace carbon. It was first discovered in 1798 by W. Gregor and was partially purified by H. Moissan in 1895.
It can be obtained by melting scrap titanium together with steel or iron in an induction furnace. The alloy is highly reactive with nitrogen, oxygen, carbon and sulfur, forming insoluble compounds. It has low density, high strength and excellent corrosion resistance.
It is used in steelmaking as a cleansing agent for iron and steel; the titanium is highly reactive with sulfur, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen, forming insoluble compounds and sequestering them in slag, and is therefore used for deoxidizing, and sometimes for desulfurization and denitrogenation.
In steelmaking the addition of titanium yields metal with finer grain structure. Ferrotitanium can be manufactured by mixing titanium sponge and scrap with iron and melting them together in an induction furnace. Ferrotitanium powder can be also used as a fuel in some pyrotechnic compositions.
Titanium, Ti 30
Aluminum, Al 6
Silicon, Si 3
Carbon, C 0.1
Phosphorus, P 0.1
Sulfur, S 0.06
Iron, Fe Balance
Density 2.65-3.20 g/cm3 0.0957-0.1156 lb/in3
Melting point 1400-1450°C 2552-2642°F