Self-propagating high-temperature synthesis of complex nitrides of intermetallics

In our previous papers, the Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis (SHS) of aluminium and titanium nitrides was studied. In this paper the synthesis of the complex nitrides of intermetallics, based on titanium, aluminium and nickel, was carried out. The samples were produced by the direct SHS of nickel–aluminium and titanium–aluminium mixtures in a nitrogen atmosphere, as well as by the SHS synthesis of nickel–aluminium and titanium–aluminium intermetallics followed by pulsed plasma ion nitriding. Composition of products was studied by chemical analysis, as well as by X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Experiments revealed that the highest extent of nitridation was achieved during direct one-stage SHS synthesis of the complex intermetallic nitrides.