Group II metal salts in electrolytic leaching of superabrasive materials

A method of processing a superabrasive element, the method comprising:

• providing a superabrasive element comprising a polycrystalline diamond table that comprises a metallic material disposed in interstitial spaces defined within the polycrystalline diamond table, the polycrystalline diamond table comprising a superabrasive face and a superabrasive side surface extending around an outer periphery of the superabrasive face;
• and
• leaching the metallic material from at least a volume of the polycrystalline diamond table to produce a leached volume in the polycrystalline diamond table by:
• exposing at least a portion of the polycrystalline diamond table to a processing solution;
• exposing an electrode to the processing solution;
• and
• applying a charge to the electrode such that a voltage is generated between the polycrystalline diamond table and the electrode and the voltage is applied to the processing solution;
• wherein the processing solution comprises an organic acid and a divalent metal salt.

A method of processing a polycrystalline diamond body to remove a metallic material disposed in interstitial spaces in the polycrystalline diamond body, the method comprising:

• positioning an electrode near a polycrystalline diamond body;
• exposing at least a portion of the polycrystalline diamond body to a processing solution;
• and
• applying a current to the processing solution;
• wherein the electrode acts as an anode or cathode and the polycrystalline body acts as an opposing cathode or anode;
• and
• the processing solution comprises an organic acid and a divalent metal salt.