Titanium Grade 2 vs Grade 5 — Which One Should You Choose?
Titanium offers what no other metal can: the corrosion resistance of a noble metal at 60% the weight of steel. But with over 30 commercially available grades, selecting the right one is critical. The two most widely used grades — Grade 2 (commercially pure) and Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) — serve fundamentally different applications. As an experienced metal importer exporter in India and industrial metal supplier, Creative Metal Industries sources both grades from the world's leading titanium producers.
Titanium Grade 2 — Commercially Pure, Maximum Corrosion Resistance
Grade 2 (UNS R50400, ASTM B265/B337/B338) is commercially pure titanium — 99.2% Ti with controlled oxygen, iron, carbon, and nitrogen as the only "alloying" elements. It is the most widely used of all titanium grades, accounting for over 50% of total titanium consumption in chemical processing and marine industries.
| Property | Grade 2 Value |
|---|---|
| Composition | 99.2% Ti, 0.25% Fe max, 0.25% O max |
| Tensile Strength | 345 MPa min |
| Yield Strength | 275 MPa min |
| Elongation | 20% min |
| Density | 4.51 g/cm³ (57% of steel) |
| Melting Point | 1668°C |
| Corrosion Resistance | Excellent — resists seawater, HNO₃, chlorides, most organics |
| Weldability | Excellent (inert gas shielding required) |
| Formability | Excellent — cold forming, deep drawing, spinning |
| Magnetic | Non-magnetic |
Titanium Grade 5 — Ti-6Al-4V, Aerospace-Level Strength
Grade 5 (UNS R56400, ASTM B265/B348/B381) is the workhorse alpha-beta titanium alloy — 6% Aluminium stabilises the alpha phase, 4% Vanadium stabilises the beta phase. This dual-phase structure can be heat-treated to achieve tensile strengths exceeding 1100 MPa while maintaining reasonable ductility. It accounts for over 50% of all titanium used in aerospace.
| Property | Grade 5 Value |
|---|---|
| Composition | Ti-6Al-4V (90% Ti, 6% Al, 4% V) |
| Tensile Strength | 895 MPa min (annealed) |
| Yield Strength | 830 MPa min (annealed) |
| Elongation | 10% min |
| Density | 4.43 g/cm³ |
| Max Service Temperature | 315°C (continuous), 400°C (short-term) |
| Corrosion Resistance | Good — but less than Grade 2 in reducing acids |
| Weldability | Moderate — requires strict inert gas coverage + stress relief |
| Formability | Limited — hot forming preferred above 600°C |
| Heat Treatable | YES — solution treat + age for maximum strength |
Strength Comparison — Grade 2 vs Grade 5
| Property | Grade 2 | Grade 5 | SS 316L (ref) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yield Strength | 275 MPa | 830 MPa | 170 MPa |
| Tensile Strength | 345 MPa | 895 MPa | 485 MPa |
| Elongation | 20% | 10% | 40% |
| Density | 4.51 g/cm³ | 4.43 g/cm³ | 8.0 g/cm³ |
| Strength-to-Weight | 76 MPa·cm³/g | 187 MPa·cm³/g | 21 MPa·cm³/g |
| Fatigue Limit | 200 MPa | 500 MPa | 250 MPa |
Grade 5 has 3× the yield strength of Grade 2 — but Grade 2 still has 60% higher yield than SS 316L while being 44% lighter.
Corrosion Resistance Comparison
- Seawater: Both excellent — titanium is essentially immune to seawater corrosion at all temperatures
- Nitric acid (HNO₃): Both excellent — titanium is the preferred material for HNO₃ service
- Hydrochloric acid (HCl): Grade 2 is better — resists dilute HCl. Grade 5 is slightly less resistant due to aluminium content
- Reducing acids (H₂SO₄): Neither grade excels — both fail in concentrated reducing acids (unlike Hastelloy)
- Chloride SCC: Both immune — titanium does not suffer chloride stress corrosion cracking at any temperature
- Crevice corrosion: Grade 2 superior — in hot concentrated brines, Grade 7 (Pd-addition) or Grade 12 may be needed for extreme crevice conditions
Key Applications
Grade 2 Applications:
- Chemical reactors & heat exchangers
- Desalination plant piping
- Marine hardware & propellers
- Chlor-alkali plant equipment
- Power plant condenser tubes
- Pulp & paper bleach plant
- Architectural cladding
Grade 5 Applications:
- Aircraft structural components
- Jet engine compressor blades
- Medical implants (hip, knee, dental)
- Motorsport & Formula 1 parts
- Offshore riser stress joints
- High-performance fasteners
- Pressure vessels (300-400°C)
Cost Considerations — India 2026
| Material | Price (₹/kg approx) | vs SS 316L |
|---|---|---|
| SS 316L | 280-450 | Baseline |
| Titanium Grade 2 | 3,000-5,000 | 8-12× |
| Titanium Grade 5 | 5,000-8,000 | 14-20× |
| Inconel 625 | 4,000-6,500 | 12-16× |
| Hastelloy C-276 | 4,500-7,000 | 13-18× |
Despite higher material cost, titanium's 40% weight saving + zero maintenance + 30+ year life often makes it the lowest lifecycle cost option for corrosive environments.
Why Source Titanium from Creative Metal Industries?
- Global mill sourcing: VSMPO-AVISMA (Russia — world's largest Ti producer), ATI (USA), Timet (USA), Baoji (China) — all with full material certification
- Product forms: Pipes (ASTM B337/B338), plates/sheets (B265), bars/rods (B348), fittings (B363), flanges, wire — Grade 1, 2, 5, 7, 9, 12
- Certification: MTC 3.1/3.2 with chemical analysis, mechanical properties, and material conformance per ASTM/AMS standards
- Cut-to-size: Waterjet cutting for plates and sheets — precise cuts without heat-affected zone on expensive material
- Technical support: Grade selection guidance based on your specific media, temperature, and stress conditions
- As a specialist metal importer exporter in India, we maintain import channels that ensure availability of these strategic materials even during global supply constraints
Frequently Asked Questions — Titanium Grades
What is the difference between Titanium Grade 2 and Grade 5?
Grade 2 is commercially pure (99.2% Ti) — maximum corrosion resistance, excellent formability, 345 MPa tensile. Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) is an alloy — aerospace strength (895 MPa tensile), heat-treatable, but less formable and slightly less corrosion resistant in reducing environments.
When should I use Grade 2 vs Grade 5?
Grade 2: when corrosion resistance is primary (chemical processing, desalination, marine). Grade 5: when high strength-to-weight is critical (aerospace, medical implants, motorsport, high-temp pressure vessels up to 400°C).
How much does titanium cost in India?
Grade 2: ₹3,000-5,000/kg. Grade 5: ₹5,000-8,000/kg. Both are 8-20× the cost of SS 316L but offer 40% weight saving, zero maintenance, and 30+ year life in corrosive service. Contact CMI for current pricing on your specific product form and quantity.
Need Titanium Grade 2 or Grade 5?
VSMPO, ATI, Timet sourcing. Pipes, plates, bars, fittings. Full ASTM certification. Cut-to-size available.