Commercially pure unalloyed titanium makes up the first 4 grades of the 40-plus grades of titanium. Grade 1 Titanium is the purest and least strong grade of commercially pure titanium grades.
The purity of grade 1 makes it a good choice for the medical industry where strength is not the key characteristic. Titanium is biocompatible making it a great metal for human body parts and medical tools. Grade 1 is the softest and most formable grade of commercially pure titanium. Like the other grades of commercially pure titanium grade 1 is the most ductile making it more impact resistant.
The cold formability of grade 1 titanium allows for manufacturing into various shapes like tubes and pipes. While other grades of titanium are alloyed with other metals for strength, they give up the formability of the commercially pure grades of titanium. Grade 1 being the softest makes it a great choice for shapes that other grades are not capable of including bending. Grade 1 titanium wire is a perfect example of the flexibility it has.
Did you know grade 1 is cold-formable and has a tensile strength of 35,000 PSI and yield strength of 20,000 psi as well as its ultra-corrosion resistance? Aluminum of the 1100 series is also coldly formable but has a tensile strength about half that of grade 1 titanium and fabrication would typically require more material to attain the same strength as titanium. Grade 1 titanium is great for spin-forming shapes because of its cold formability and ductility.
Grade 1 titanium is used in chemical processing due to its ultra-corrosion resistance. Titanium forms its oxide layer over its surface making the corrosion resistance possible and is also self-healing when that layer is broken. Many chemical processes use
Grade 1 titanium whereas other metals like stainless steel would not hold up to the corrosive fluids or temperature.
Grade 1 expanded metal is a great choice for anodizing baskets and is very easily formed and welded.