Abstract:In this paper, a mechanism of self-propagating high-temperature synthesis of TiC-Ti composite was studied by means of a combustion wave front quenching method in which all information about a process of a phase transitions and a process of a microstructural evolution were remained in the quenched sample. The product was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), and the process of a microstructural evolution was investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). Based on these experimental results, the mechanism of self-propagating high-temperature synthesis of TiC-Ti cermets was discussed. The experimental results show that the mechanism of SHS of TiC-Ti can be described with a dissolution-precipitation mechanism. The Ti powders melt firstly, and the C particles dissolve in the Ti liquid. C atoms react with Ti and became TiCx. And with the temperature rising, the TiCx particles melt and form Ti-C liquid. As the temperature decreasing, the small TiC particles precipitate from the Ti-C liquid. In the end, a great amount of TiC precipitate from the Ti-C liquid and aggregate. The final products are composed of TiC particles and Ti matrix.