The paper first teases out the pore design requirements of porous tungsten matrix materials (PTMM). Secondly, the preparation of PTMM as the main line is introduced, including the process of tungsten powder pretreatment and forming, tungsten compact sintering, copper infiltration and removal, porous tungsten HIP and cryogenic machining. Finally, the test methods of properties of PTMM are summarized. Tungsten powders plasma spheroidization, tungsten compact extrusion and injection moulding are the future for the dispenser cathodes matrix. Porous tungsten capsule-free HIP contributes to high-reliability and long-life of dispenser cathodes. Porous tungsten cryogenic machining, an advanced sustainable process, is capable of short process manufacturing for porous tungsten matrix of dispenser cathodes.