[en] TiB₂ and Al base composite powders, which will offer a weight-saving improvement in stiffness, were produced by combustion synthesis of Ti, Al, and B ternary powder mixtures. Finely dispersed TiB₂ was synthesized by reacting a mixture of Ti, Al, and B in the molar ratio of 1:1:4. The grain size of the TiB₂ formed was < 0.5 μm, which was much smaller than that obtained from the reaction of a mixture of Ti, Al, and B in the molar ratio 1:1:2. These results are discussed in light of the reaction propagating velocity and heat removal during the combustion synthesis process