Single-phase Ti

2

AlN was fabricated with TiH

2

/AlN powder mixture by plasma activated sintering(PAS)at 1 200 ℃ for 5 min. The phase composition and microstructural evolution during the reaction of TiH

2

and AlN were characterized by X-ray diffraction(XRD)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)equipped with an energy dispersive spectroscopy(EDS). It is found that the dehydrogenation of TiH

2

was rapidly accomplished below 700 ℃

and several intermediate phases

such as TiN

Ti

3

Al

Ti

3

AlN

and TiAl

are identified at the heating stage over 700 ℃

which reveals a reaction pathway towards the formation of Ti

2

AlN. The indentation behavior test on the single-phase Ti

2

AlN was conducted

with Vickers method. The results indicate that the low hardness and the microcracks inside the grains below the indentation guarantee the good machinability of the Ti

2

AlN ceramic.