The one-step synthesis of dense titanium-carbide tiles

Self-propagating, high-temperature synthesis (SHS), which is an attractive process for forming alloys, cermets, ceramics, and composites, has been combined with a rapid quasi-isostatic consolidation technology called the CeraconTM process. This one-step synthesis and densification route has been applied to the rapid fabrication of large 15 cm × 15 cm × 2.5 cm titanium carbide tiles. A cost analysis of this process based on prototype quantities shows that the cost of the process is 30–50% of that of current manufacturing processes.