Synthesis of Ternary Titanium Aluminum Carbides Using Self‐Propagating High‐Temperature Synthesis Technique

Different ternary carbide phases, namely Ti 3 AlC 2 , Ti 3 AlC, and Ti 2 AlC, were successfully synthesized in a self‐sustaining regime. Direct reactions among elemental powders of titanium, aluminum, and carbon are strongly exothermic, and the resulting reaction products consist of binary carbides and they are partially molten. The use of TiAl, instead of elemental titanium and aluminum, significantly reduces the combustion temperature. As a result, ternary titanium aluminum carbide phases are formed. In addition, the combustion‐synthesized products are not sintered and easy to deagglomerate. Reaction conditions and X‐ray diffraction patterns of different ternary phases formed in a self‐sustaining regime are presented.