The purpose of this investigation was to establish the reaction path during processing of a 25 vol pct TiO 2 preform and molten Al composite by pressure infiltration. Initial preform temperatures between 550 Њ and 850 ЊC, melt temperatures from 715 Њ to 850 ЊC, and two postinfiltration cooling rates were considered. The reaction path between molten Al and TiO 2 under the conditions examined involved three steps: the final products being ␣ -Al 2 O 3 , Al 3 Ti, and excess Al. It was further observed that the morphology of the reactant TiO 2 whisker was maintained throughout the reaction sequence, the M 2 O 3 to Al 2 O 3 transformation involving diffusion-controlled replacement of Ti atoms by Al. Finally, reaction completion involved heterogeneous nucleation of Al 3 Ti from the Ti-saturated melt at the Al 2 O 3 interface.
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