Diffusion bonding of elemental titanium and aluminum foils is an effective low-temperature method to synthesize the intermetallic-metal composite, allowing growth of the intermetallic layer while both reactant materials (Ti and Al foils) are in the solid state. Reported data on mechanism and kinetics of the intermetallic layer growth such as kinetic exponent and activation energy vary widely among different works. In the current work, a simple diffusion couple of titanium and aluminum was prepared by embedding an aluminum foil between two titanium sheets. Microstructural observation and EPMA characterization were employed to find the impurity diffusion coefficient of aluminum through TiAl3 and the kinetics of TiAl3 formation and growth.

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