Nanosized WC, and binders Co, Ti and Ti-Co, are used to process hardmetals. Titanium (Ti) was proposed to reduce and even replace the Co in these composites, verifying the effectiveness of the new binders. Samples of nanosized WC with 10 wt% Co, 9 wt% WC 1 wt% Ti -Co, WC-10 wt% Ti were cold compacted at 200 MPa and sintered at 1500 8C during 1 hour under vacuum of 10 -2 mbar for the processing of hardmetal were performed. The structural characterization by X-ray diffraction and microstructure by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and EDS microanalysis of the sintered material. We observed the presence of the W 2 C phase in the sintered samples, and Co 3 W phases in the samples with Co content and a good distribution of binder phase, leading to formation of small "pool" of Co and Ti and small porosity and well distributed. It was proved that using Ti as binder phase, the neta phase formation was avoided.

WC-Co hard metal is a material of high hardness, high compressive strength and wear resistance while maintaining good toughness and thermal stability. Samples of nanosized WC powders with 10 wt% Co, WC-10 wt% Ti, WC-9 wt% Ti-1 wt% Co were cold pressed at 200 MPa and sintered at 1500 8C during 1 hour under vacuum of 10 -2 mbar. The characterization of the sintered materials was performed by the measurements of densification, HV30 hardness, fracture toughness and compression strength. The results showed that it is possible to process a hard metal through a Powder Metallurgical conventional route from nanoscaled WC grains, using Ti (or a Ti-Co mixture) as a binder phase, with good mechanical properties.