O.A. Graeve and Z.A. Munir, "The Effect of an Electric Field on the Microstructural Development During Combustion Synthesis of TiNi-TiC Composites," Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 340 (2002) 79-87.

The role of an externally imposed (contacting) electric field on the microstructural development during the synthesis of TiC-TiNi composites was investigated. Using elemental reactants, composites with 60 and 70 vol% TiNi were synthesized by the self-propagating combustion method. The field had a direct effect on the velocity and temperature of the combustion wave. The field had an influence also on the particle size of the TiC phase within the TiNi matrix. The average size increased by at least a factor of two as the field strength was increased (from about 2.5 to 5.5 micrometers for the 60 vol% TiNi samples and from 1.5 to 3.0 micrometers for the 70 vol% TiNi samples as the field was increased from zero to about 5 V/cm). Although higher temperatures and wave velocities result in higher temperature gradients and thus an anticipation of shorter residence time at the highest temperatures, the presence of a liquid phase has apparently a more direct effect on TiC particle growth. In cases where no liquid is present the results are different, as will be reported in a subsequent paper.