Corrosion resistant bearing elements, bearing assemblies, bearing apparatuses, and motor assemblies using the same

A method for manufacturing a bearing assembly, the method comprising:

• providing a plurality of bearing elements, each bearing element of the plurality of bearing elements including:
• a polycrystalline diamond table having a bearing surface, the polycrystalline diamond table including a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions at least partially occupied by a metal-solvent catalyst;
• a substrate having a base surface, an interfacial surface bonded to the bonding region of the polycrystalline diamond table, and at least one lateral surface extending between the base surface and the interfacial surface;
• and
• a bonding region defined by the substrate and the polycrystalline diamond table, the bonding region including at least one lateral surface extending between the base surface of the substrate and the bearing surface of the polycrystalline diamond table;
• and
• disposing a corrosion resistant material about at least one bearing element of the plurality of bearing elements to form a corrosion resistant region that covers at least a portion of the at least one lateral surface of the substrate, the corrosion resistant material including one or more refractory metals;
• and
• securing the plurality of bearing elements including the corrosion resistant material to a support ring such that the at least one lateral surface of the substrate is surrounded by the support ring.

A bearing assembly, comprising:

• a support ring having an inner surface extending about an axis and defining an opening, a lateral surface extending circumferentially about the axis of the support ring, and an intermediate surface between the inner surface and the lateral surface;
• a plurality of bearing elements mounted to and distributed circumferentially about the axis of the support ring, each of the plurality of bearing elements extending from the intermediate surface, each bearing element of the plurality of bearing elements including:
• a polycrystalline diamond table having a bearing surface, the polycrystalline diamond table including a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions at least partially occupying by a metal-solvent catalyst;
• and
• a substrate bonded to a bonding region of the polycrystalline diamond table and including a lateral surface;
• and
• one or more corrosion resistant regions that each cover at least a portion of the lateral surface of the substrate of one or more of the plurality of bearing elements, the corrosion resistant material including one or more refractory metals,
• wherein the lateral surface of the substrate of each of the plurality of bearing elements is surrounded by the support ring.