Abstract:With the continuous development of the manufacturing industry, the requirements for the comprehensive performance of cemented carbide are getting higher and higher, but there is a contradiction between the hardness and strength of the traditional cemented carbide, which limits its development. Therefore, the preparation of a cemented carbide having both high hardness and high strength has attracted attention. This paper reviews the strengthening of cemented carbide by adding rare earth elements in refining grains, increasing density, purifying the interface, improving the binder phase and adding nano materials in dispersion strengthening, whisker extraction, crack deflection and crack bridging. However, some mechanisms of action have not yet been fully recognized and further research is needed. On this basis, the future research direction of toughening and strengthening of cemented carbide materials is also discussed, and ideas for the preparation of new cemented carbide materials with good comprehensive performance are provided.