A　new　process　for　the　production　of　ultrafine　WC-Co　cemented　carbide　was　developed　by　freeze-drying　and　spark　plasma　sintering.　Ammonium　meta-tungstate　was　mixed　with　cobalt　nitrate　in　the　preliminary　liquid　solution,　using　liquid　nitrogen　as　the　cryogenic　medium.　W-Co　composite　nanopowder　in　the　size　range　20-30　nm　was　obtained　after　freeze-drying,　thermal　decomposition　and　reduction.　WC-10%Co　cemented　carbide　was　synthesized　by　spark　plasma　sintering.　The　sintered　body　approached　its　theoretical　density,　and　the　crystal　size　was　about　0.7　mu　m,　with　hardness　of　1719.3　HV0.5.　When　the　sintering　temperature　increases,　the　hardness　of　the　cemented　carbide　will　decrease　because　of　the　growth　in　grain　size.　(C)　2008　Elsevier　Ltd.　All　rights　reserved.