Titanium aluminium carbide (Ti3AlC2) displays a unique combination of characteristics of both metals and ceramics coupled with an unusual combination of mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. In this research, the oxidation characteristics of Ti3AlC2 over the temperature range 500-900 degrees C were studied by synchrotron radiation diffraction (SRD) and secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) experiments which provided elemental and phase compositional depth profiles over this range. Evidence for the outward diffusion of All during oxidation was shown for the first time by the complementary SIMS results, which suggested the existence of amorphous Al or aluminium oxide at low temperature oxidation. At 500 degrees C, only anatase-TiO2 was detected by SRD in addition to the parent Ti3AlC2. Transformation of anatase to rutile was observed at 600 degrees C and was completed by 900 degrees C The crystalline phase alpha-Al2O3 was detected at 900 degrees C but not at lower temperatures. Crown Copyright (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.