Titanium has several intriguing applications, ranging from high performance brake calipers to forming a constituent part of nearly every type of paint. Ever a versatile material, titanium may now form a key role in establishing and enjoying the new normal that most of the world will need to live in. This has been shown through research conducted by the University of Nevada, Reno, who have shown that the use of titanium oxide coated materials and UV light are effective in killing viruses including SARS-CoV-2; however, science is showing that the role of titanium won’t be limited only to clinical practices, and will enable many aspects of daily life.
Sustainable futures
One key aspect of the new normal is a demand for sustainability. Having livable, breathable atmosphere, and making full use of the resources available is crucial. An area in which titanium sheet suppliers haven’t been hugely active is the electric vehicle world, yet the applications of titanium in this area are rapidly increasing. Indeed, a study published by Harvard has found that titanium metal sourced from ilmenite could be a sustainable, socially responsible, and easily manufactured way to provide components for the next generation of transformative EV travel. Titanium is typically not preferred for use in EVs due to its high weight – yet, with new titanium variants and alloys being produced, there are new applications for the metal that is making it more relevant to modern applications.
Manufacturing change
These new alloys are being created through new techniques for the synthesis of titanium products. Plasma spray, physical vapor deposition and micro-arc oxidation are just three of the new techniques highlighted in by a study published by Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology that increase the availability and usability of titanium in science and manufacturing. Combining these new manufacturing techniques will help to create a consistent basis for titanium manufacturing that will be important in the production in a new generation of biomedical products and biologically ‘clean’ surfaces crucial to the urban spaces of the future.
Urban applications
According to the Titanium Dioxide Manufacturers Association, there are multiple applications of titanium silicates and oxides in the urban environment – and they could be key to tackling the spread of viruses and overall urban quality of life. The use of TiO2 on building cladding both creates a sterile barrier to disease and also helps to combat the urban heat island phenomenon, dispersing heat from sun-rays and trapped heat resulting from pollution more easily. Urban albedo is an important factor to reduce in the process of making urban quality of life better and, indeed, improving health. This, in turn, will reduce the impact of viruses and help everyday people to live better.
That holistic process, of ensuring that urban communities – and rural, too – can live healthily, will mitigate or prevent future health crises. Science plays a key role in this, and titanium is leading technology in that regard. As new methods of manufacturing titanium and finding applications for its use are uncovered, society will benefit.
The Role Of Titanium In The New Normal
