Titanium Dioxide In Cosmetics-Who Invented Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) was not invented, as it is a naturally occurring compound. However, its use as a pigment was developed over time. The element titanium was discovered in 1791 by the English clergyman and mineralogist William Gregor, who found a black sand that contained a new element which he called menachanite. Around the same time, a German chemist named Martin Heinrich Klaproth also discovered the element in a mineral called rutile and named it titanium after the Titans of Greek mythology.

The development of titanium dioxide as a pigment, known as “titanium white,” began in the 20th century. It was first produced on an industrial scale in the 1910s, with a key figure in its commercialization being the Swiss chemist and engineer Paul Kroll. Kroll developed a process for manufacturing pure titanium dioxide, which led to its widespread use as a pigment in paints, plastics, papers, and other products due to its excellent opacity and white color.