Review – Phase Relations of Ti-O-X Systems for Synthesis of Titanium-Based Compounds, Effective for Construction of Manufacturing Processes of Metallic Titanium

Metallic titanium has a wide range of applications including its use as a bone substitution material for medical purposes or as a construction material. It is produced from upgraded ilmenite, which is mainly composed of titanium dioxide, using the Kroll method. Some newer production methods, based on thermal decomposition, have been proposed to reduce the environmental impact of the conventional manufacturing method. The knowledge related to the processes has been advanced by thermodynamical and experimental studies on the phase relations of some Ti-O-X systems. This review presents the thermodynamic relations of Ti-O-X systems and production methods for some titanium-based intermetallic compounds using the carbothermic reaction and its thermal relation to the decomposition behavior.