Advanced erosion resistant carbonitride cermets

A method for protecting a metal surface subject to erosion at temperatures up to 1000° C., the method comprising providing the metal surface with a cermet composition according to the formula (PQ)(RS) comprising:

• a ceramic phase (PQ) and a binder phase (RS) wherein,
• P is a metal selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Fe, Mn and mixtures thereof,
• Q is carbonitride,
• R comprises Fe and a metal selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Mn and mixtures thereof,
• S comprises Cr, at least one element selected from Al, Si and Y, and at least one aliovalent element selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, Ta, V, Nb, Mo, W,
• wherein the combined weights of said Cr, Al, Si, Y and mixtures thereof is at least 12 wt %, and the combined weights of said at least one aliovalent element is from 0.01 to 5 wt % based on the weight of the binder phase (RS), and
• wherein the ceramic phase (PQ) ranges from of about 50 to 95 vol % based on the volume of the cermet.