Machine tools are subjected to hard operating conditions due to the high temperatures reached during the cutting process, caused, among other factors, by friction. This highlights the need to develop inert materials with a combination of high thermal conductivity, strength, hardness, and wear resistance over a wide range of service temperatures. Titanium carbonitride (Ti(C,N)) or Tungsten carbide (WC) have traditionally been the most widely used materials in this type of application although they requires a metallic phase -generally cobalt- as binder to achieve greater compactness and toughness. The toxicity and scarcity of Co have promoted the search for new metal phases and more economical and environmentally friendly manufacturing routes, highlighting the development of new inert materials with similar or better mechanical properties. In this context, the use of Fe-based metal phases combined with colloidal processing, presents itself as an excellent way to manufacture Ti(C,N) and WC-based materials. Creating stable suspensions, where the particles are properly dispersed in the aqueous medium, while being protected from oxidation, is necessary for this purpose.

With this objective, two compositions have been studied: 80%Ti(C,N)-20%FeNi-1.8%C and 80%WC-20%FeNi-0.5%C. The powder were obtained by colloidal processing in water optimizing the rheology of the suspensions and monitoring the chemical composition of the spry-dried powder. Sintering have been made in Argon and, finally, the microstructure and high-temperature mechanical properties of both materials have been quantified and compared with commercial materials of similar composition.