In order to investigate the influence of plasma treatment on the powder properties, titanium carbide powder with an average particle size of 1.35 μm was modified by the in-flight induction plasma treatment generated at the plate power of 45 kW and reactor pressure of 26.7 kPa. The treatment in Ar-H2 induced the formation of carbon-site vacancies. The tail injection of Ar-NH3 to the Ar-H2 plasma resulted in the partial substitution of carbon by nitrogen. Also, the treatment in Ar-N2 plasma gave rise to the partial nitridation. A large amount of oxygen incorporated into the plasma-treated powders stored in air. The original and plasma-treated powders were dispersed in an alumina matrix, and the pressureless sintering of Al2O3-TiC composites was tried to elucidate the influence of plasma modification. The composites with the dispersion of plasma-treated titanium carbide powders showed an increase in sintered density.
