Whilst working with Prof Derek Fray in the Material Science and Metallurgy Department at the University of Cambridge, Dr Chen was investigating methods for eliminating the oxygen formed on the surface of titanium and alloys when exposed to hot air. It was in late 1996 when he realised that he had discovered the direct electrochemical reduction of solid titanium dioxide to titanium metal in molten calcium chloride.
Prof Fray then suggested repeating the reduction on small pellets of titanium dioxide powder, which George carried out successfully. This revolutionary process was later found to be generically applicable to many other metals and named the FFC Cambridge Process after its inventors: Prof Derek Fray, Dr Tom Farthing and Dr George Chen.
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