Titanium

Available for over a year

It's stronger than steel, but could a new chemical process one day make this glamorous metal as common as steel? Plus what do paint, sun cream, clean windows and fresh air have in common? Prof Andrea Sella tells presenter Laurence Knight why this relatively widespread chemical element is so difficult to extract from its ore. We then head to Yorkshire, where metallurgy pioneers Metalysis are trying to commercialise a novel way of doing just that - the so-called FFC Process. Laurence also visits Epsom hospital, where surgeon Philip Mitchell explains why titanium makes such great bone implants, and Philip Dewhurst of mineral consultancy Roskill casts doubts on whether titanium will ever become cheap and ubiquitous. Plus, Brian Pickett of pigments manufacturer Cristal explains why his company has been painting various bits of London to further the fight against city smog.