This paper discusses the mechanical properties of a material fabricated from commercially available metal powder mixtures designed for

use as a metal matrix of diamond impregnated composites. The mixtures with the catalogue numbers CSA and CSA800 provided by a

Chinese producer are suitable for experimental laboratory testing. The specimens were fabricated in a graphite mould using hot pressing.

The material was tested for density, porosity, hardness, and tensile strength under static loading. A scanning electron microscope (SEM)

was used to analyze the microstructure and cleavage fracture of broken specimens. It was essential to determine how the chemical

composition and the fabrication process affected the microstructure and properties of the material. The properties of the sinters were

compared with those of hot pressed specimens fabricated from sub-micron size cobalt powder (Cobalt SMS). Although the as-consolidated

material is inferior to cobalt, it displays a favourable combination of hardness, yield strength and ductility, and seems to have a great

potential for moderate and general purpose applications.