Cermets in phase diagrams

The article is a review introduced by a more precised definition of cermets as ceramic-metal-composites. The reasons are given for subdividing these materials in stable and unstable combinations. A short remark is made about the calculation of the number of cermets, possibly formed in multicomponent systems. This remark is followed by a systematical arrangement of the more than 100 binary phase diagrams containing cermets known from the literature. As an example the calculation of an eutectic type phase diagram with a very narrow range of terminal solid solution is considered. Thermochemical assessments are also made to decide which stable combinations should be formed by interaction of the phases of unstable cermets using Fe3C-U-cermets as an example. (orig.)