Carbon or boron modified titanium silicide

A titanium silicide material based on Ti.sub.5 Si.sub.3 intermetallic compound exhibits substantially improved oxidative stability at elevated temperatures. In particular, carbon is added to a Ti.sub.5 Si.sub.3 base material in an amount (e.g. about 0.3 to about 3.6 weight % C) effective to impart substantially improved oxidative stability at elevated temperatures, such as about 1000 Si.sub.3 base material in an amount (e.g. about 0.3 to about 3.3 weight % B) to this same end.