GROUP 4: TITANIUM GROUP

Titanium Group Overview

Also known as: Titanium family

Group Members: Titanium (Ti), Zirconium (Zr), Hafnium (Hf), Rutherfordium (Rf)

Common Properties: All are transition metals, form +4 oxidation state, resistant to corrosion, high melting points

Ti

Titanium

Strong & Light
Atomic Number 22
Atomic Mass 47.87 u
Electron Config [Ar] 3d² 4s²
Common Ions Ti⁴⁺, Ti³⁺
Melting Point 1668°C
Density 4.51 g/cm³
Titanium is as strong as steel but 45% lighter and 60% denser than aluminum!

Properties: Strong, lightweight, corrosion-resistant, biocompatible

Applications: Aircraft components, medical implants, sports equipment, jewelry, chemical plants

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Zr

Zirconium

Nuclear Grade
Atomic Number 40
Atomic Mass 91.22 u
Electron Config [Kr] 4d² 5s²
Common Ions Zr⁴⁺
Melting Point 1855°C
Density 6.52 g/cm³
Zirconium is used in nuclear reactors because it doesn't easily absorb neutrons!

Properties: Corrosion-resistant, low neutron absorption, hard and lustrous

Applications: Nuclear reactor cladding, surgical instruments, zircon gemstones, foundry equipment

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Hf

Hafnium

High Absorption
Atomic Number 72
Atomic Mass 178.49 u
Electron Config [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d² 6s²
Common Ions Hf⁴⁺
Melting Point 2233°C
Density 13.31 g/cm³
Hafnium is chemically similar to zirconium and the two are very difficult to separate!

Properties: High neutron absorption, corrosion-resistant, very dense

Applications: Nuclear control rods, microprocessors, plasma cutting tips

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Rf

Rutherfordium

Synthetic
Atomic Number 104
Atomic Mass 267 u
Electron Config [Rn] 5f¹⁴ 6d² 7s²
Common Ions Rf⁴⁺ (predicted)
Half-life ~1.3 hours
Stability Synthetic
Rutherfordium is artificially produced and has no natural occurrence on Earth!

Properties: Synthetic radioactive metal, very short-lived

Applications: Scientific research only

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