Process for improving the high temperature flexural strength of titanium diboride-boron nitride

A process for producing an intermetallic composition comprising titanium diboride and boron nitride having enhanced high temperature flexural strength characteristics, said process comprising forming a uniform blend of titanium diboride and boron nitride powders containing oxygen in a bond phase, hot pressing said uniform blend in an inert atmosphere at elevated temperatures to form a solid body, discontinuing the hot pressing of the body and subsequently heating the solid body between approximately 1600.degree. C. and 2200.degree. C. in an inert atmosphere for from about four hours to about 10 hours to vaporize said bond phase of said hot pressed body.