The reaction process of combustion synthesis for TiB_2-Cu was investigated in detail using combustion-wave arresting experiment, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, SEM analysis and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The XRD analysis results for the different parts of the quenched specimen show that TiCu_x intermetallic phase firstly forms with the propagation of combustion wave, and then Ti_ 1.87 B_ 50 and Ti_3B_4 metastable phases come forth due to the diffusion of B atoms and finally the stable TiB_2 phase forms because of the continuous diffusion of B atoms. The formation of TiB_2 phase is not completed by one step, but undergoes several transient processes. The process of reaction synthesis for Ti-B-Cu ternary system can be divided into three main stages: melting of Cu and Ti, and the formation of Cu-Ti melt and few TiCu_x, TiB_x intermetallic phases; large numbers of TiCu_x intermetallic phases formation and some fine TiB_2 particles precipitation; and the TiB_2 particles coarsening and the stable TiB_2 and Cu two phases formation in the final product. The reaction process of combustion synthesis for TiB_2-Cu was investigated in detail using combustion-wave arresting experiment, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, SEM analysis and differential thermal analysis (DTA). The XRD analysis results for the different parts of the quenched specimen show that TiCu_x intermetallic phase first forms with the propagation of combustion wave, and then Ti_ 1.87 B_50 and Ti_3B_4 metastable phases come forth due to the diffusion of B atoms and finally the stable TiB_2 phase forms because of continuous diffusion of B atoms . The formation of TiB_2 phase is not completed by one step, but undergoes several transient processes. The process of reaction synthesis for Ti-B-Cu ternary system can be divided into three main stages: melting of Cu and Ti, and of formation Cu-Ti melt and few TiCu_x, TiB_x intermetallic phases; large numbers of TiCu_x intermetallic phases formation and some fine TiB_2 particles precipitation; and the TiB_2 particles coarsen ing and the stable TiB_2 and Cu two preparations formation in the final product.