In　order　to　improve　the　strength　and　toughness　of　TiC　materials,　especially　the　elevated　temperature　strength　so　as　to　extend　the　applications　in　elevated　temperature　environment,　TiC　composites　containing　20　vol.%　short　carbon　fiber　(C-f/TiQ　were　produced　by　hot　pressing.　The　short　carbon　fibers　were　uniformly　distributed　in　the　TiC　matrix　by　wet　ball-milling　mixing.　The　hot-pressing　technique　for　C-f/TiC　composites　was　optimized　with　respect　to　hot-pressing　temperature　and　pressure,　and　the　most　suitable　technique　is　vacuum　sintering　at　2100　degreesC　under　30　MPa　for　I　h.　With　carbon　fiber　addition,　not　only　the　room　temperature　strength　and　fracture　toughness　of　TiC　are　remarkably　increased,　but　the　elevated　temperature　strength　is　increased　as　well.　The　flexural　strength　of　the　C-f/TiC　composite　is　593　MPa　at　room　temperature　and　439　MPa　at　1400　degreesC.　The　strengthening　effect　of　the　carbon　fibers　is　estimated　using　a　slightly　modified　role-of-mixture　formulation,　and　the　toughening　effect　is　also　calculated　based　on　the　toughening　mechanisms　of　crack　bridging,　fiber　pullout　and　crack　deflection.　The　calculated　results　of　the　strength　and　fracture　toughness　of　the　composite　agree　well　with　the　experimental　results.　(C)　2002　Elsevier　Science　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.