Alumina powders (average grain size : 50 mum) coated with TiN film of thickness 0.5 and 1.2 mum were prepared by rotary powder-bed chemical vapour deposition for 15 and 90 min, respectively. These Al2O3-TiN composite powders were hot-pressed at 1800-degrees-C and 40 MPa for 30 min. The microstructure of the Al2O3 -TiN sintered composite was composed of a TiN network homogeneously distributed on the grain boundaries of alumina. The mechanical properties (hardness, bending strength and fractured toughness) and thermal conductivity of the sintered composite were found to depend on the composition and microstructure of the sintered composite, even with a small content (3-7 wt%) of TiN. The resistivity of the sintered composite was 10(-1)-10(-3) OMEGA cm. The relatively high electrical conductivity of the Al2O3-TiN composite was caused by the grain boundary conduction of TiN.