Anodising titanium

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Electrode set-up to anodise titanium in a beaker with red crocodile clip holding titanium and black crocodile clip holding wire in an electrolyte solution

Source: © Shutterstock

Explore how the colour of titanium metal covered with titanium dioxide varies with the thickness of titanium dioxide. 

When a layer of titanium dioxide is present on the surface of some titanium metal, light falls on the surface and scatters to make the layer look coloured. The colour we can see depends on how thick the titanium dioxide layer is. In this experiment we will ‘anodise’ (coat with an oxide layer) some titanium metal to create a titanium dioxide layer and control the thickness by varying the voltage, and therefore the colour.

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