The synthesis of the TiNi intermetallic compound using the thermal explosion mode of the combustion synthesis technique has been used to determine the heat of fusion, AH m (7.77 kcal mo1-1 ), of the TiNi intermetallic and the heat capacity, C m (17.96 cat mo1-1 K -1 ), of the liquid-phase TiNi. The effect of heating rate and degree of dilution of the Ti + Ni powder compact reactants with previously synthesized TiNi on the ignition, T~g, and combustion, To, temperatures in an argon atmosphere have been determined. It was found that To was dependent on heating rate and dilution with TiNi, whereas T~g remained unchanged with respect to these two process variables.