Fine-structured hardmetals and grain-growth inhibitors

I'm always pleased to find a new review paper on a subject for which I have more than a passing acquaintance; but without direct mention of important early activity, key research can be missed. When it comes to reviewing grain-growth inhibition in sintered hardmetals, it's important to consider the early and important work of Walter Dawihl, research chief of Krupp-Widia in the 1940s [1], and perhaps even some of my own research on the subject in the 1950s [2], [3]. With that in mind, I take a look back at some important developments, including work that has remained unpublished until comparatively recently, to help complement recent reviews and provide another perspective.