As a metallurgist with 12 years in the titanium trade, I've seen too many projects derailed by material mix-ups. Let me break down these ASTM B265 standards in plain terms – no jargon, just what you need to know when sourcing titanium.
1. What is ASTM Specification B265?
ASTM B265 is the bible for titanium sheet and plate. Think of it as your quality checklist:
✔ Dimensional tolerances (Ever received warped plates? B265 prevents that)
✔ Mechanical properties (Tensile strength, yield strength, elongation)
✔ Surface finish requirements (No. 1 vs No. 2 finish explained later)
Pro Tip: Always request the mill test report (MTR) – we caught a supplier shipping Grade 2 as Grade 5 last month (saved a client $28k in rework).
2. What is the ASTM Grade of Titanium?
ASTM classifies titanium into grades based on composition. Here's what matters:
| Grade | Key Elements | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 1 | 99.5% Ti | Most ductile (think deep-drawn parts) |
| Grade 2 | Ti-0.25O₂ | The "workhorse" (90% of industrial use) |
| Grade 5 | Ti-6Al-4V | Aerospace superstar (but tricky to weld) |
| Grade 7 | Ti-0.2Pd | Acid fighter (chemical plants love this) |
Real Case: A chemical plant switched from 316L stainless to ASTM B265 titanium pipes – corrosion failures dropped by 80%.
3. What Are the 4 Grades of Titanium?
While there are 38+ grades, these 4 dominate 95% of industrial use:
Commercially Pure (CP) Titanium
Grades 1-4: Oxygen content determines strength
Best for: Heat exchangers, marine hardware
Ti-6Al-4V (Grade 5)
The Ferrari of titanium (strong but pricey)
Watch out for: Beta flecks in forgings
Ti-0.2Pd (Grade 7)
Small palladium addition = huge corrosion boost
Cost saver: Use instead of Hastelloy in dilute acids
Ti-3Al-2.5V (Grade 9)
"Aerospace tubing grade" (lighter than Grade 5)
Engineer's Hack: Need strength but hate Grade 5's cost? ASTM B265 Grade 9 gives you 80% of the strength at 60% of the price.
4. What is Titanium Grade 7 ASTM?
Grade 7 (UNS R52400) is your go-to for nasty environments:
Palladium magic: Just 0.2% Pd increases corrosion resistance 10x
ASTM specs:
B265 (plate/sheet)
B337 (pipe)
B338 (tubes)
Cost-Saving Tip: For non-welded parts, consider Grade 12 (Ti-0.3Mo-0.8Ni) – similar performance, no Pd premium.
When Things Go Wrong: A True Story
Last year, a client used Grade 2 instead of Grade 7 in a chlorine environment, resulting in $ 200,000 in replacements. Always:
Check the ASTM grade marking (laser etched, not painted)
Do spot testing (PMI gun takes 10 seconds)
Verify heat numbers match MTR
Need Help Decoding Titanium Specs?
We provide:
Free material selection consultation
Third-party testing coordination
Emergency replacement sourcing
Download Our ASTM B265 Titanium Cheat Sheet (With 38 grades compared)
Tel: +86-29-89506568
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Email: linhui@lhtitanium.com
