What is "titanium aluminide"

n. (context chemistry English) An intermetallic compound of titanium and aluminium, TiAl, used as a heat-resistant material in high-speed aircraft

Titanium aluminide, Ti Al, is an intermetallic chemical compound. It is lightweight and resistant to oxidation and heat, however it suffers from low ductility. The density of gamma TiAl is about 4.0 g/cm³. It finds use in several applications including automobiles and aircraft. The development of TiAl based alloys began about 1970; however the alloys have only been used in these applications since about 2000.