Titanium was first produced in 1825 by Berzelius on a lab scale. Industrial production, however, was only established after 1945. Between 1950 and 1980, world production increased from about 10,000 to more than 100,000 metric tons. Most of it is used in the aircraft and space industry and in chemical engineering. A smaller quantity is used for medical implants. In jewelry productions, titanium has only an exotic and minor significance. Sometimes it is used because of its beautiful colors in the oxidized state. Titanium also might be used in special cases where biocompatibility is essential, e.g., in ear piercing. Another field of application is the use of titanium anodes in electroplating solutions, used in jewelry fabrication. Recently, the use of a small quantity of titanium started as an alloying element in gold titanium alloys.

Author: Dieter Ott