Titanium alloy wire is a high-performance metal wire material. It inherits the excellent properties of titanium alloy and is made into wire form through processes such as drawing to meet the application requirements of specific fields.
Titanium alloy wire is widely used due to its excellent comprehensive performance: it has a high specific strength, with a strength-to-weight ratio that is more than twice that of steel wire, but its weight is only about 60% of that of steel wire. This is a key factor in pursuing weight loss in aerospace and sports equipment. The excellent corrosion-resistant surface forms a dense and stable oxide film, which has outstanding corrosion resistance to the atmosphere, seawater, chlorine gas, and most acids, alkalis, and salts, especially pitting corrosion resistance. It has excellent biocompatibility, is non-toxic and non-allergenic to human tissues, and will not be corroded by body fluids, making it an ideal material for implantation in the human body. Non-magnetic, it will not be magnetized in a strong magnetic field and is suitable for high-precision instruments and medical equipment. It has good medium-temperature performance and can still maintain sufficient strength at temperatures ranging from 300 to 500°C. The lower elastic modulus is closer to that of human bone, and when used as an implant, it can reduce the "stress shielding" effect.
Grade 1 pure titanium wire: It has the highest purity, the best formability and the lowest strength. It is used for non-structural parts that require extremely high formability and corrosion resistance. Grade 2: The most commonly used pure titanium wire, with balanced strength and formability, is widely used in the chemical, Marine and medical fields. Grade 4: The highest strength among pure titanium, it is often used in medical implants such as dental implants and bone screws.
Titanium alloy wire Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5) is the "ace" alloy wire, accounting for the majority of titanium alloy wire usage. It has very high strength and is widely used in aerospace, military industry and high-end sports equipment. Ti-6Al-4V ELI (Grade 23) medical-grade alloy wire. It is the extremely low gap element version of Grade 5, featuring better fracture toughness and biocompatibility, and is the preferred material for surgical implants (such as joint substitutes and spinal fixators). Ti-3Al-2.5V (Grade 9) has a strength between pure titanium and Grade 5, and features excellent cold formability and corrosion resistance. It is often used in aircraft hydraulic pipelines and bicycle frames.
The production of titanium alloy wire is a precise and highly technical process, with its core lying in multiple cold working procedures and intermediate annealing. Drawing: At room temperature, the titanium wire billet is forcibly passed through a die hole smaller than its diameter, reducing its diameter and increasing its length. This will lead to work hardening, making the wire material hard and brittle. Intermediate annealing: When work hardening reaches a certain degree, heating must be carried out in an annealing furnace protected by high vacuum or inert atmosphere. The aim is to recrystallize the material, eliminate internal stress, restore its plasticity and toughness, so as to facilitate the next drawing process. This "drawing - annealing" cycle will be repeated many times. After each annealing, an oxide scale will form on the surface of the wire material. It must be removed by methods such as sandblasting, acid washing or grinding to obtain a smooth and clean surface, ensuring the quality of subsequent drawing and the service life of the die. The final annealing process of the finished product heat treatment is determined based on the final state required by the customer (soft state, semi-hard state, hard state).
Titanium alloy wire is a typical deep-processed product with high added value and high technological content. With its unparalleled specific strength, outstanding corrosion resistance and excellent biocompatibility, it is widely used in numerous fields, ranging from life-saving medical implants to spacecraft soaring into the sky, and even high-end consumer goods that enhance the quality of life.
