Niobium is today largely available. NbC displayed lower dry sliding friction over WC grades. The softer Ni- and NiMo-bonded NbC1.0-grades have a higer abrasive wear resistance (ASTM G65), even with lower toughnesses, than the tougher WC-Co grades and harder NbC-Co grades.
The tool lifes of uncoated NiMo and NiMo2C-bonded stoichiometric NbC1.0 grades under dry turning 42CrMo4 and C45E were between +30 % to + 100 % higher and up compared to WC-6Co (fine grain). Niobium is today largely available. NbC grades displayed lower dry sliding friction over WC grades.