Low-temperature synthesis of (TiC + Al2O3)/Al alloy composites based on dopant-assisted combustion

•Combustion reactions in the Al–TiO2–C system were studied.•Role of excess Al for the formation of TiC was explained.•Appropriate amounts of excess Al for forming TiC was determined.•CuO added to the powder system caused TiC to form at low temperatures.•(TiC + Al2O3)/Al alloy composite was synthesized at 860 °C.

A feasible approach to fabricate an Al alloy composite reinforced with TiC and Al2O3 (hereinafter, (TiC + Al2O3)/Al alloy composite) based on in-situ processing at low temperatures was proposed. With appropriate amounts of excess Al added to the (4Al + 3TiO2 + 3C) powder system, the spontaneous combustion reactions for forming TiC and Al2O3 were promoted, whereas a small amount of CuO added to the reagent powders caused triggering of the combustion reaction at lower temperatures (860 °C), which was thereafter self-maintaining. The TiC and Al2O3 particles thus formed could be dispersed uniformly in the Al matrix and contributed to a considerable increase in the strength and stiffness of the resultant composite material, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed technique for producing metal matrix composites for load-bearing applications. In this study, we report the method used to fabricate the (TiC + Al2O3)/Al alloy composite at low temperatures, its synthesis, and the resultant properties.