# US 10,480,252 B2 · Cutting elements, methods for manufacturing such cutting elements, and tools incorporating such cutting elements > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,480,252 B2 - Document ID: US10480252B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/180,038 - Filed: 2018-11-05 - Published: 2019-03-14 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2009-05-20 - Assignees: Smith International, Inc. - Applicants: Smith International, Inc. - Inventors: J. Daniel Belnap; Georgiy Voronin; Feng Yu; Peter T. Cariveau; Youhe Zhang; Yuelin Shen; Guodong Zhan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480252B2 ## CPC - E21B 10/55: with preformed cutting elements - E21B 10/567: with preformed cutting elements mounted on a distinct support, e.g. polycrystalline inserts - B01J 3/062: {characterised by the composition of the materials to be processed} - B01J 2203/062: Diamond - B01J 2203/0655: Diamond - B01J 2203/0685: Crystal sintering - B22F 2003/244: {Leaching} - B22F 2005/001: {Cutting tools, earth boring or grinding tool other than table ware} - B22F 2998/10: Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps - B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy - B24D 3/10: for porous or cellular structure, e.g. for use with diamonds as abrasives - C22C 26/00: Alloys containing diamond {or cubic or wurtzitic boron nitride, fullerenes or carbon nanotubes} - C22C 2026/006: {with additional metal compounds being carbides} - E21B 10/5735: {Interface between the substrate and the cutting element} - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER - B24D: TOOLS FOR GRINDING, BUFFING OR SHARPENING (abrading-bodies specially designed for tumbling apparatus, e.g. abrading-balls B24B31/14; honing tools B24B33/08; lapping tools B24B37/11) - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) ## Abstract The present disclosure relates to cutting elements incorporating polycrystalline diamond bodies used for subterranean drilling applications, and more particularly, to polycrystalline diamond bodies having a high diamond content which are configured to provide improved properties of thermal stability and wear resistance, while maintaining a desired degree of impact resistance, when compared to prior polycrystalline diamond bodies. In various embodiments disclosed herein, a cutting element with high diamond content includes a modified PCD structure and/or a modified interface (between the PCD body and a substrate), to provide superior performance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A cutting element comprising: a substrate comprising a substrate interface surface, the substrate interface surface comprising a protrusion, the protrusion comprising a base, a top end, a height extending axially from the base to the top end, and a width transverse to the height; and a polycrystalline diamond body formed by sintering at a cold cell pressure greater than 5.4 GPa, the polycrystalline diamond body comprising, a diamond interface surface interfacing with the substrate interface surface, a top surface opposite the diamond interface surface; a cutting edge meeting the top surface; and a material microstructure comprising a plurality of bonded-together diamond grains having an average grain size and interstitial regions between the diamond grains, the material microstructure comprising a first layer proximate the cutting edge and a second layer proximate the diamond interface surface, wherein at least a region of the first layer has a diamond volume fraction, as measured by electron backscatter diffraction, greater than (0.9077) (the diamond average grain size{circumflex over ( )}0.0221), with the diamond average grain size provided in microns, wherein the first layer has a diamond average grain size less than 12 microns, wherein the second layer has a diamond volume fraction that is lower than the diamond volume fraction of the first layer, wherein a width of the protrusion proximate the base is greater than a width of the protrusion proximate the top end, wherein the width of the protrusion decreases in a direction from the base to the top end, and wherein said protrusion has a height to width ratio of less than 0.5, and wherein said height to width ratio is determined by dividing the height of the protrusion by the width of the protrusion as measured at a middle of said height. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein the second layer has an axial thickness that is greater than an axial thickness of the first layer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein the first layer has an axial thickness that is greater than an axial thickness of the second layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein the diamond average grain size in the second layer is greater than the diamond average grain size in the first layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein the second layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is greater than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the first layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein the first layer has a different diamond average particle size or diamond particle size distribution than the second layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein the second layer has a diamond volume fraction of 85% to 95%. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The cutting element of claim 7, wherein the second layer has a diamond volume fraction of 85% to 92%. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein the second layer includes tungsten, and the tungsten is included at an amount less than 15 wt % based on the total weight of the second layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein the substrate interface surface comprises a protrusion and the protrusion comprises a rounded top surface defining the top end as viewed in cross-section along a plane along a length of said protrusion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein the substrate interface surface comprises multiple protrusions, and all protrusions are located within a diameter that is 90% of the diameter of the substrate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises a cobalt content within the range of approximately 6 to 11% by weight. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein the interface surface comprises a dome having a height to diameter ratio of less than approximately 0.1. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein when catalyst has not been removed from the first layer, the cutting element may have a dry vertical turret lathe cutting distance of at least 5,500 feet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein at least a first region of the first layer includes a plurality of the interstitial regions that are substantially free of a catalyst material extending from the cutting edge to a depth of at least 300 microns. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The cutting element of claim 15, wherein the polycrystalline diamond body requires at least 3 days at a standard leaching condition to form the first region. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein the protrusion top end is flat. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The cutting element of claim 1, wherein the cold cell pressure is greater than 7 GPa. ### Claim 19 A cutting element comprising: a substrate comprising a substrate interface surface; and a polycrystalline diamond body formed by sintering at a cold cell pressure greater than 5.4 GPa, the polycrystalline diamond body comprising, a diamond interface surface interfacing with the substrate interface surface, a top surface opposite the diamond interface surface; a cutting edge meeting the top surface; and a material microstructure comprising a plurality of bonded-together diamond grains having an average grain size and interstitial regions between the diamond grains, the material microstructure comprising a first layer proximate the cutting edge and a second layer proximate the diamond interface surface, wherein at least a region of the first layer has a diamond volume fraction, as measured by electron backscatter diffraction, greater than (0.9077) (the diamond average grain size{circumflex over ( )}0.0221), with the diamond average grain size provided in microns, wherein at least a region of the first layer includes a plurality of the interstitial regions that are substantially free of a catalyst material extending from the cutting edge to a depth of at least 300 microns, wherein a region of the second layer includes a plurality of interstitial regions are substantially free of a catalyst material, wherein another region of the second layer includes a plurality of interstitial regions having a catalyst material therein, wherein the first layer includes diamond having a diamond average grain size less than 12 microns, and wherein the first layer has a higher diamond volume fraction than the second layer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The cutting element of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of said another region of the second layer is radially inward from said region of the second layer. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The cutting element of claim 20 wherein a region of the first layer, radially inward from said at least a region of the first layer including a plurality of interstitial regions substantially free of catalyst material, comprises interstitial regions having a catalyst material therein.