US Patent 7537637 Method of making agglomerated cemented carbide powder mixtures

The present invention relates to a method of making an agglomerated powder mixture by wet milling a powder mixture containing hard constituent powder(s) based on carbides of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo and/or W and greater than about 15 wt-% binder phase powder(s) of Co and/or Ni as well as pressing agents and spray drying said slurry. By adding to said powder mixture before milling in addition from about 0.05 to about 0.50 wt-% of a complex forming and/or pH-decreasing/increasing additive such as triethanolamine, hydroxides or acids and a thickener in an amount of from about 0.01 to about 0.10 wt-% agglomerates with excellent flow properties are obtained.