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Titanium clad plates, as advanced composite materials integrating the superior corrosion resistance of titanium with the high strength and cost-effectiveness of steel substrates, have become indispensable core materials in harsh industrial environments such as chemical processing, marine engineering, energy generation, and aerospace. Among them, the selection of titanium alloy grades directly determines the performance, application scope, and economic benefits of clad plates. This article focuses on the mainstream titanium alloy grades used in clad plates, systematically elaborates on their material properties, and deeply analyzes their unique advantages in different application scenarios, providing a professional reference for material selection and procurement in industrial projects.
Titanium grades employed in clad plates are mainly divided into commercially pure titanium grades and alloyed titanium grades, which are selected based on the specific requirements of the service environment, such as corrosion resistance, mechanical strength, and formability. According to international standards (e.g., ASTM) and Chinese national standards (GB), the most commonly used grades include commercially pure titanium TA1/TA2 (corresponding to ASTM Grade 1/Grade 2) and alloyed titanium Grade 7 (Ti-Pd alloy). These grades are widely recognized in the manufacturing of titanium clad plates due to their balanced performance and mature processing technology. Unlike solid titanium plates, the titanium layer in clad plates only needs to provide targeted corrosion protection, so the selection of grades can be more flexible based on the cost-performance ratio, while the steel substrate undertakes the structural strength requirements.
Commercially pure titanium grades are the most widely used in titanium clad plates, characterized by excellent corrosion resistance, good ductility, and superior biocompatibility. Grade 1 is the softest and most formable among commercially pure titanium grades, with the highest ductility and toughness. Its low strength makes it easy to process through rolling, stamping, and welding, which is particularly suitable for the manufacturing of thin titanium layer clad plates. In clad plate applications, Grade 1 is often used in low-corrosion environments or occasions requiring high formability, such as heat exchanger plates and thin-walled containers.
Grade 2 is the industry-standard grade of commercially pure titanium and the preferred choice for most titanium clad plate applications. It achieves an optimal balance between strength and corrosion resistance, with higher tensile strength than Grade 1 while maintaining good ductility and processability. Grade 2 exhibits excellent resistance to general corrosion media, including seawater, dilute acids, and alkalis, making it widely used in marine engineering, chemical pipelines, and desalination systems. For titanium clad plates, Grade 2 is often selected as the cladding layer material due to its balanced performance, which can meet the corrosion protection needs of most industrial environments while ensuring the manufacturability of the composite plate.
Grade 7 is a palladium-alloyed titanium grade, which is an upgraded version of commercially pure titanium with enhanced corrosion resistance. By adding a small amount of palladium (about 0.12%-0.25%), Grade 7 significantly improves the corrosion resistance in harsh environments, especially in reducing acids (such as hydrochloric acid) and chloride-containing media. Compared with commercially pure titanium grades, Grade 7 has better passivation performance, which can form a more stable oxide film on the surface, effectively preventing pitting corrosion and crevice corrosion. This makes Grade 7 an ideal material for titanium clad plates used in extreme corrosion environments, such as chlorination plants, petrochemical reactors, and acidic wastewater treatment equipment.
One of the core advantages of titanium clad plates is cost optimization, and the rational selection of titanium grades further enhances this advantage. Compared with solid titanium plates, clad plates use a thin titanium layer (0.1-10 mm) combined with a low-cost steel substrate (carbon steel, stainless steel), which greatly reduces the usage of expensive titanium. For general corrosion environments, selecting Grade 2 as the cladding layer can meet the performance requirements at a lower cost; for extreme corrosion environments, Grade 7 is used targeted, avoiding the high cost of using solid alloy titanium plates. This graded selection strategy enables titanium clad plates to achieve the best cost-performance ratio in different projects.
Different titanium grades endow clad plates with targeted environmental adaptability. Grade 1's high ductility makes clad plates suitable for complex forming processes, such as the manufacturing of curved heat exchanger components; Grade 2's balanced corrosion resistance and strength enable clad plates to work stably in multiple environments, from seawater desalination to general chemical processing; Grade 7's enhanced corrosion resistance expands the application scope of titanium clad plates to extreme harsh environments such as strong acid and chloride-containing media, which are difficult for commercially pure titanium to withstand. This adaptability allows titanium clad plates to be customized according to the specific service environment, ensuring long-term stable operation of the equipment.
The selected titanium grades have good compatibility with mainstream titanium clad plate manufacturing processes, such as explosive bonding, hot rolling cladding, and vacuum hot pressing. For example, Grade 1 and Grade 2 have good plastic deformation ability, which can form a stable metallurgical bond with the steel substrate during hot rolling or explosive bonding. The bonding strength of the composite interface far exceeds the requirements of industry standards, ensuring the overall structural integrity of the clad plate. Grade 7, although containing alloying elements, still maintains good weldability and bonding performance, which can be effectively compounded with the steel substrate through optimized explosive bonding parameters. This process compatibility ensures the stable quality and reliable performance of titanium clad plates during mass production.
The combination of titanium grades and steel substrates realizes the synergistic enhancement of mechanical properties. The titanium cladding layer (regardless of Grade 1, Grade 2, or Grade 7) provides excellent corrosion resistance, while the steel substrate (carbon steel, stainless steel) provides high tensile strength and structural rigidity. Compared with solid titanium plates, titanium clad plates have higher overall strength and stiffness, which can meet the structural load requirements of large-scale equipment, such as pressure vessels, tube sheets, and offshore platforms. For example, in marine structures, Grade 2-clad steel plates not only resist seawater corrosion but also have sufficient strength to withstand wave impact and structural weight, showing obvious advantages over solid titanium plates in terms of strength and cost.
In the chemical and petrochemical industry, Grade 7-clad steel plates are widely used in chlorination reactors and hydrochloric acid storage tanks, where their enhanced corrosion resistance can effectively resist the erosion of strong corrosive media, ensuring the long-term service life of the equipment. In seawater desalination systems, Grade 1 -clad steel plates are the preferred material for heat exchangers and pipelines, as they can withstand the corrosion of seawater while maintaining good processability for the fabrication of complex components. In the energy generation industry, Grade 1-clad steel plates are used in heat exchanger plates due to their high ductility, which can be formed into thin-walled structures to improve heat transfer efficiency.
When procuring titanium clad plates, the selection of titanium grades should be based on the following key factors: first, the service environment, including the type, concentration, and temperature of corrosive media, to determine the required corrosion resistance level (e.g., Grade 7 for strong acids, Grade 2 for general corrosion); second, mechanical property requirements, such as tensile strength and formability, to select between Grade 1 (high ductility) and Grade 2 (higher strength); third, cost constraints, to balance performance and cost by choosing appropriate grades instead of blindly selecting high-grade alloys. In addition, it is necessary to ensure that the selected grades comply with relevant international standards (e.g., ASTM B898, ASME SB-265) , and cooperate with professional suppliers who can provide quality certification and technical support.
Titanium alloy grades are the core factor determining the performance and application value of titanium clad plates. Commercially pure titanium Grade 1 and Grade 2 meet the needs of most general industrial environments with their balanced performance and cost advantages, while alloyed titanium Grade 7 provides a reliable solution for extreme corrosion environments. The unique advantages of these grades, such as cost-effectiveness, environmental adaptability, process compatibility, and synergistic mechanical properties, make titanium clad plates an optimal alternative to solid titanium plates in many industrial fields. With the continuous development of manufacturing technology, the application scope of titanium clad plates will be further expanded, and the rational selection of titanium grades will become more critical for improving project benefits and ensuring equipment reliability. For enterprises, in-depth understanding of the properties and advantages of different titanium grades is the key to realizing the optimal application of titanium clad plates.
Fugo Tech is focused on the manufacturing of clad metal plate and distributes the Stainless Steel, Titanium, Nickel Alloy, Zirconium and other non-ferrous metal pipes, fittings, flanges, and fasteners.
