A titanium metal surface was heated with an alkali metal chloride in order to produce a phase transition from amorphous titania to crystalline titania. The anatase-type titania phase was formed by heating the surface with KCl at 550 degrees C for 3 h. Further heating and higher temperatures caused a transition to the rutile-type titania. The amorphous titania layer on the surface of the titanium metal was reduced with the assistance of alkali metal chloride and reoxidized to transform into the metastable anatasetype titania phase under certain conditions.