Combustion synthesis of ternary carbide Ti3AlC2 in Ti–Al–C system

In the present work, a method for fabrication of Ti3AlC2 by combustion synthesis was developed. Low cost titanium, aluminum and carbon powders were used as raw materials. The effects of the initial ratio among the above-mentioned materials on the combustion behavior and phase formations in the final products were investigated. The experimental results showed that the combustion reaction usually preferred to form a mixture of titanium carbide and aluminum. However, the desired product of Ti3AlC2 can be obtained through adjusting the initial ratio of the elemental powders or adding TiC as additives. The formation mechanism of ternary phases, Ti3AlC2 and Ti2AlC, is that the previously formed crystallites of TiC dissolve into the melting Ti–Al composition, and then, ternary phases precipitate from liquid phase and grow into layered morphology.