Ferro Titanium (FeTi) is an alloy of iron and titanium with between 10 – 20% iron, 45 – 75% titanium and occasional trace carbon. The most common grade has a 68 – 72 % titanium content. The vanadium content is another crucial factor which generally runs at either 2 % MAX or 5 % MAX. Titanium is highly reactive with sulphur, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen, forming insoluble compounds and isolating them in slag or as discrete insoluble precipitates in the metal, where it finds it’s primary use in steelmaking as a deoxidizer and nitrogen fixer. The addition of titanium in steelmaking yields metal with finer grain structure. Titanium is also an important alloying element in certain steel grades, especially surface hardening nitriding and carbonitriding grades.
Some titanium scrap is graded as substandard and cannot be recycled to be used as charge materials for melting titanium alloy ingots due to oxidation degree, pinches and forge laps. The vast majority of FeTi is produced by melting ingots of low-melting eutectic (below 1100˚C) in the titanium-iron system with 65-75 % titanium, this allows substandard scrap to be used in manufacturing of the alloy. This process allows one to melt scrap in the form of solids, bundles, briquetted clippings and loose crushed titanium chips. The resultant alloy formed is then crushed and screened to the required size. The low melting-point of the 70% FeTi eutectic alloy enables it to be added in the ladle rather than in the furnace, thus increasing recovery.
Mineral-Loy is an established supplier of high-quality Ferro Titanium offering a range of packaging options. The standard sizing offered is 5-30mm. Please contact us so that we can assist with your FeTi requirements.
Compiled by: Linda Mhlungo