Methods of making polycrystalline diamond bodies having annular regions with differing characteristics
AssigneeDiamond Innovations, Inc.
InventorsAndrew Gledhill, Christopher Long, Alexanne Johnson, Joseph Rhodes
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Abstract
Polycrystalline diamond bodies having an annular region of diamond grains and a core region of diamond grains and methods of making the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a polycrystalline diamond body includes an annular region of inter-bonded diamond grains having a first characteristic property and a core region of inter-bonded diamond grains bonded to the annular region and having a second characteristic property that differs from the first characteristic property. The annular region decreases in thickness from a perimeter surface of the polycrystalline diamond body towards a centerline axis.
Claims15
A method of making a polycrystalline diamond body, comprising:
- positioning a first quantity of diamond grains having a first characteristic property in a low-reactivity cup having a perimeter wall;
- distributing the first quantity of diamond grains into an at least partially annular configuration in which the annular region decreases in thickness from the perimeter wall towards a centerline axis of the low-reactivity cup, wherein wherein the first quantity of diamond grains is distributed into the low-reactivity cup by displacing the unbonded diamond grains with a mandrel;
- positioning a second quantity of diamond grains having a second characteristic property that differs from the first characteristic property in the low-reactivity cup, the second quantity of diamond grains be positioned to at least partially contact the perimeter wall of the low-reactivity cup and to at least partially contact the first quantity of diamond grains;
- and
- subjecting the low-reactivity cup, the first quantity of diamond grains, and the second quantity of diamond grains to a HPHT process in which adjacent diamond grains are sintered to one another and form diamond-to-diamond bonds.
A method of making a polycrystalline diamond body, comprising:
- positioning a first quantity of diamond grains having a first characteristic property in a low-reactivity cup having a perimeter wall;
- distributing the first quantity of diamond grains into an at least partially annular configuration in which the annular region decreases in thickness from the perimeter wall towards a centerline axis of the low-reactivity cup, wherein the first quantity of diamond grains are distributed into the low-reactivity cup by subjecting the first quantity of diamond grains to centripetal acceleration;
- positioning a second quantity of diamond grains having a second characteristic property that differs from the first characteristic property in the low-reactivity cup, the second quantity of diamond grains be positioned to at least partially contact the perimeter wall of the low-reactivity cup and to at least partially contact the first quantity of diamond grains;
- and
- subjecting the low-reactivity cup, the first quantity of diamond grains, and the second quantity of diamond grains to a HPHT process in which adjacent diamond grains are sintered to one another and form diamond-to-diamond bonds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.