When titanium atoms bond with oxygen atoms, they typically form ionic bonds due to the difference in electronegativity between titanium and oxygen. Titanium, being a metal, tends to lose electrons, while oxygen, being a nonmetal, tends to gain electrons. This transfer of electrons results in the formation of titanium cations (Ti^4+) and oxide anions (O^2-), creating a strong electrostatic attraction between the positively charged titanium ions and the negatively charged oxide ions.
In some compounds, such as titanium dioxide (TiO2), the bonding has a significant covalent character as well, due to the involvement of shared electrons between titanium and oxygen. However, the dominant bonding type in many titanium-oxygen compounds can be considered ionic.
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