Preparation and Etching of Titanium Alloys

Titanium and its alloys have high strength to weight ratio as well as excellent corrosion resistance. As a result, they have been heavily utilized in the aerospace industry and for medical devices. Due to higher costs relative to competing materials such as aluminum alloys and steels, use has been restricted to higher value applications. However, with the growing importance of light-weighting applications, the use of titanium alloys is expanding. This talk will look at the metallographic preparation of a range of titanium alloys. It will include some of the common difficulties in proper preparation, as well as options for etching with and without the use of hydrofluoric acid.