WC and dense WC-10 vol%Co materials with grain size of~1 were synthesized by high-frequency induction heated combustion synthesis (HFIHCS) method in one step from elemental powders of W, C and Co within several minutes. Simultaneous combustion synthesis and densification were accomplished under the combined effects of an induced current and mechanical pressure. In the absence of cobalt additive, WC can be formed, but its relative density was low (about 73%) under simultaneous application of a 60 MPa pressure and the induced current. However, in the presence of 10 vol.%Co, the relative density increased to 99% under the same experimental condition. The percentages of the total shrinkage occurring before and during the synthesis reaction of WC-10 vol.%Co were 5% and 51%, respectively. The fracture toughness and hardness values of WC-10 vol.%Co were 10 MPa . m and 1840 kg/, respectively.

Titanium cabide, TiC-x mole% Al composites, and functionally-graded materials (FGMs) of TiC-x mole% Al were synthesized by an electrothermal combustion (ETC) method. TiC-70 mole% Al composite was not ignited by indirect tungsten coil heating, but can be synthesized by an electrothermal combustion. The velocity of the combustion wave decreased with increasing addition of Al and increased with an increase in the applied electric field. Functionally-graded TiC-Al materials were made from reactant layers with compositions of Ti+C+x moles Al with x ranging from zero to 70 by an electrothermal combustion. In the FGM products a nearly linear change in composition in the graded region was observed in samples with 0 x 70 with x being the mole% Al.