This article is devoted to nanoscale composite materials based on Cr2O3 obtained by the activated electric fields sintering procedure. In the paper, exploitative properties of the sintered system of Cr2O3 – AlN nanocomposite was examined. Mechanical properties of the material were examined, especially from the perspective of its performance in the cutting tools. In particular, its wear was tested at different cutting speeds, as well as for intermittent hard cutting, and the results were compared with other materials available in the market. Compared to other cutting tools of the same class, Bichromit-R performed the same lifetime for 3-5 times higher cutting speeds, or up to 45% longer lifetime for the same cutting speed. The results lead to the conclusion that composite nanostructure improves substantially exploitation characteristics of the cutting tools.