Oxygen is like kryptonite to titanium

UC Berkeley scientists have found the mechanism by which titanium, prized for its high strength-to-weight ratio and natural resistance to corrosion, becomes brittle with just a few extra atoms of oxygen. Shown is a cross section of grade 3 titanium (containing 0.3 percent oxygen) that has been put under stress and deformed. The defects in the crystal are evident. Oxygen impurities forced the defects to spread onto different planes of the material. (Image by Qian Yu) The discovery, described in the Feb. 6 issue of the journal Science , has the potential to open the door to more practical, cost-effective uses of titanium in a broader range of applications. The popular silver-gray metal can already be found in high-end bicycles, laptops and human implants, among other products.