Cermetten

Cermetten, or cermets in English, are composite materials made from ceramic compounds embedded in a metallic binder. The ceramic phase provides hardness and wear resistance while the metallic phase adds toughness and the ability to deform under load. The best-known example is tungsten carbide grains embedded in a cobalt or nickel binder (WC-Co), commonly called cemented carbides. Other systems mix carbide or oxide ceramics with nickel-, cobalt-, or iron-based binders.

Manufacture typically uses powder metallurgy: ceramic and metal powders are blended, compacted, and sintered or hot-pressed to form a dense material. The resulting microstructure consists of hard ceramic grains dispersed in a softer metallic matrix, with limited porosity that can be controlled during processing.

Properties include high hardness and wear resistance, excellent fatigue and high-temperature strength, and improved fracture toughness compared with monolithic ceramics. However, cermets remain relatively brittle compared with metals, and performance can be sensitive to binder oxidation and thermal cycling.

Applications are dominated by cutting tools and wear parts, such as inserts for milling, turning, and drilling. They are also used in tooling for molding, mining, and some aerospace components where a combination of hardness and toughness is valuable.

The term cermet combines ceramic and metal and was coined in the mid-20th century to describe such ceramic–metal composites. Cemented carbides are the most widespread commercial example, illustrating the practical use of cermet concepts in modern engineering.