Abstract: 【Objective】 This study, by developing a novel surface modification strategy, aims to suppress the detrimental interfacial reaction between Fe and TiB₂ in composites, which forms brittle Fe₂B and limits their application as hot stamping die materials. 【Method】 A mechanical ball milling coating technique was employed to coat TiB₂ particles with a Ti layer, producing Ti-coated TiB_x（x=1, 1.2, 1.5, 1.8） powders. Key coating parameters（milling time, speed） were optimized. The coated powders were then mixed with Fe and consolidated via spark plasma sintering at 900-1 050 ℃. The microstructure was analyzed using SEM and EBSD, and mechanical properties were assessed by Vickers hardness and nanoindentation tests. 【Result】 The optimized coating process（300 r/min, 10 h for most compositions） successfully created a continuous Ti layer on TiB₂. This layer acted as a diffusion barrier during sintering, effectively inhibiting the Fe/TiB₂ reaction and minimizing Fe₂B formation. Higher sintering temperatures improved densification and coating integrity. The composite's hardness increased with sintering temperature and TiB₂ content. The Fe-TiB1.8 composite sintered at 1 050 ℃ exhibited the optimal performance, achieving a Vickers hardness of 406.8 HV, a nanoindentation hardness of 8.37 GPa, and an elastic modulus of 237.4 GPa. 【Conclusion】 The combination of mechanical coating and spark plasma sintering successfully fabricated Fe-TiB₂ composites free of brittle Fe₂B phases. The Ti coating is crucial for interfacial control, and the process enables the tuning of composite hardness. This work provides an effective method for developing high-performance composites for demanding tooling applications and offers valuable insights for mitigating interfacial reactions in other metal-ceramic systems.