Designing the Future of Hardmetals Through Cold Sintering and Green Processing

ABSTRACT The cold sintering process (CSP), capable of densifying ceramics below 300°C using transient solvents and pressure, has mainly been confined to oxides. Extending CSP to hardmetals such as WC‐Co and TiC‐Ni could transform the processing of these ultra‐hard materials. Conventional sintering of hardmetals demands extreme temperatures (> 1400°C), causing grain coarsening and high CO 2 emissions. This perspective argues that CSP, when hybridized with oxide additives, 2D materials, polymeric binders, or field‐assisted techniques, can yield green, nanostructured, and multifunctional hardmetal composites. Key challenges include chemical inertness and limited solubility, addressed through interfacial activation, mechanistic tailoring, and additive manufacturing integration. Rather than replicating traditional sintering, CSP introduces a design‐centric paradigm, coprocessing heat‐sensitive phases, preserving nanoscale features, and advancing sustainability. We envision a decisive decade ahead, where CSP evolves from laboratory curiosity to a cornerstone of next‐generation hardmetal processing in tooling, biomedical, and aerospace applications.