alloys

Hard metals are metal matrix composite materials in which hard materials, which are present as small particles, are held together by a metal matrix.

As a result, hard metals are slightly less hard than pure hard materials, but significantly tougher. On the other hand, they are harder than pure metals, alloys and hardened steel, but more fragile.

Carbides are mainly used as cutting material for tools (such as lathe tools, drills and milling tools) and as wear-resistant matrices, e.g. B. used in forming or stamping tools. Due to the temperature resistance of hard metals, which ranges up to around 900 °C, cutting speeds three times as high as with high-speed steel (HSS) are possible. Some cutting materials such as cutting ceramics, boron nitride and diamond are even harder than hard metals.