Preparation of Ti3AlC2 and Ti2AlC by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis

Ti3AlC2 and Ti2AlC were prepared by SHS using powder mixtures of titanium, aluminium, and carbon black. A very high heating rate was necessary to avoid melting the aluminium and thereby providing a route for transferring titanium to react with carbon to synthesise TiC. By igniting the mixture with a large amount of reaction heat in a little field, the Ti, Al, and C react with each other to form the ternary carbides. A layered structure of the ternary carbides was observed from a scanning electron micrograph of a fracture surface. 7 refs.