Titanium dioxide. A primer on the compound named for the mythical mothers and fathers of earth

There is a growing need for lightweight, durable materials in industry and research. The "classic" materials such as gold, copper, and steel can not fit this new need. Thus, new sets of materials are being used more frequently, and none more so than titanium and its oxides-more specifically, titanium dioxide (TiO₂). The author discusses the discovery of titanium dioxide and then describes its properties and applications. In particular the author discusses its use in high efficiency dye sensitised solar cells.