Niobium in cemented carbide

Like the other transition metals of the fourth to sixth groups of the periodic table, niobium forms hard refractory compounds with boron, carbon and nitrogen. The only significant technical application of these in materials harder than steel is that of niobium carbide in cemented carbide (partly including what is often referred to as cermets). The aim of this paper is to summarize the information available on this subject... (AU)