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.