GRADES

Determining the right grade of titanium, particularly for a new application, isn’t always obvious. The most commonly specified grades and their typical uses are as follows:

• Grade 1 — The softest and most ductile of the commercially pure grades. Its excellent formability makes it the usual choice where material is deep-drawn, pressed or extensively welded, including electrowinning and electrorefining cathode plates.
• Grade 2 — The workhorse grade and the most widely used overall. Commercially pure, with excellent corrosion resistance, good weldability and a moderate strength (min. 345 MPa UTS) that suits most non-structural service. Common in chemical processing, marine, desalination and power generation. Industrial pipe and pipe fittings are typically Grade 2.
• Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) — The most widely used titanium alloy, accounting for around half of global titanium consumption. High strength (min. 895 MPa UTS) and good corrosion resistance, though slightly less resistant than the commercially pure grades in some reducing media. Used in aerospace structures, fasteners, and machined consumer components such as bicycle cranks and bolts.
• Grade 9 (Ti-3Al-2.5V) — Often described as “half 6-4”: roughly midway between Grades 2 and 5 in strength (min. 620 MPa UTS), but far more cold-formable than Grade 5. This makes it the standard tubing alloy — aerospace hydraulic lines, and bicycle frames.
• Grade 12 (Ti-0.3Mo-0.8Ni) — A modest strength increase over Grade 2, but specified primarily for its enhanced resistance to crevice corrosion in hot brines and chloride environments. Typical uses are heat exchangers, and chemical and marine process equipment.
• Grade 23 (Ti-6Al-4V ELI) — The extra-low-interstitial version of Grade 5, offering improved ductility and fracture toughness alongside excellent biocompatibility. Widely used in the medical industry for implantable devices such as hip replacements, alongside Grade 5 and the commercially pure grades.

Note that this is not an exhaustive list; other grades are available with properties suited to more specific applications.