The purpose of this research is to develop the technology for the synthesis of (Ti, Al)N powder, which shows simultaneously the excellent properties of TiN and AlN, from the Ti-Al intermetallic compounds by the direct nitriding method. The effects of variables such as temperature, Ti-Al intermetallic compounds (TiAl₃, TiAl and Ti₃Al) were investigated by TG, XRD and SEM. The (Ti, Al)N powder can be easily synthesized from the intermetallic compounds by the direct nitriding method. Among the intermetallic compounds, the nitriding behavior increased with TiAl>Ti₃Al>TiAl₃, as the difference of diffusion coefficient for nitrogen in each materials. The ternary nitride such as Ti₂AlN and Ti₃Al₂N₂ can be synthesized by the direct nitriding method, although the ternary nitride coexist with TiN and AlN. The ternary nitrides are stable below 1400℃, but these are gradually decomposed into TiN and AlN above 1400℃.