Polycrystalline diamond compacts, and related methods and applications
AssigneeUS Synthetic Corporation
InventorMohammad N. Sani
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) and methods of fabricating such PDCs. In an embodiment of a “two-step” manufactured PDC, a PDC includes a substrate and a pre-sintered polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table bonded to the substrate. The pre-sintered PCD table includes bonded diamond grains defining interstitial regions. At least a portion of the interstitial regions include at least one material disposed therein selected from a silicon-cobalt alloy, silicon carbide, cobalt carbide, or a mixed carbide of silicon and cobalt. The pre-sintered PCD table lacks an intermediate contaminant region therein that includes at least one type of fabrication by-product generated during the fabrication of the pre-sintered PCD table.
Claims31
A polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
- a substrate;
- and
- a pre-sintered polycrystalline diamond table bonded to the substrate, the pre-sintered polycrystalline diamond table including bonded diamond grains defining interstitial regions, at least a portion of the interstitial regions including at least one material disposed therein selected from the group consisting of a silicon-cobalt alloy, silicon carbide, cobalt carbide, and a mixed carbide of silicon and cobalt, wherein the pre-sintered polycrystalline diamond table lacks an intermediate contaminant region therein that includes at least one type of fabrication by-product.
A method of fabricating a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
- positioning a silicon-cobalt containing layer between a substrate and an at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond table including interstitial regions therein to form an assembly;
- and
- subjecting the assembly to a high-pressure/high-temperature process to infiltrate the interstitial regions with a liquid comprising silicon and cobalt from the silicon-cobalt containing layer.
A method of fabricating a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
- positioning an at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond table including interstitial regions therein between a substrate and a silicon-cobalt containing layer to form an assembly;
- and
- subjecting the assembly to a high-pressure/high-temperature process to infiltrate the interstitial regions with a liquid comprising silicon and cobalt from the silicon-cobalt containing layer.
A polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
- a substrate;
- and
- a pre-sintered polycrystalline diamond table including an interfacial surface bonded to the substrate and an opposing working surface, the pre-sintered polycrystalline diamond table including a proximal region extending from the interfacial surface to an intermediate location within the pre-sintered polycrystalline diamond table that includes a metal-solvent catalyst infiltrant infiltrated from the substrate and a distal region extending from the working surface to the intermediate location that is substantially free of the metal-solvent catalyst infiltrant, wherein portions of the metal-solvent catalyst infiltrant exposed through the distal region have a surface structure characteristic of not being chemically etched.
A method of fabricating a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
- positioning an at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond table adjacent to a substrate to form an assembly;
- and
- subjecting the assembly to a high-pressure/high-temperature process to infiltrate the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond table with an infiltrant from the substrate to no further than an intermediate location within the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond table.
A polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
- a substrate;
- and
- a pre-sintered polycrystalline diamond table including an interfacial surface bonded to the substrate and an opposing working surface, the pre-sintered polycrystalline diamond table including bonded diamond grains defining interstitial regions, the pre-sintered polycrystalline diamond table including a working region that extends inwardly from the working surface, at least a portion of the interstitial regions of the working region including silicon carbide and tungsten.
A method of fabricating a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
- forming an at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond table including a first surface and an opposing second surface, the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond table including bonded diamond grains defining interstitial regions, the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond table including a first region extending from the first surface to an intermediate location therein having tungsten, tungsten carbide, or combinations thereof disposed in at least some of the interstitial regions thereof and a second region extending inwardly from the second surface that is substantially free of tungsten;
- positioning the second region at least proximate to a substrate to form an assembly;
- and
- subjecting the assembly to a high-pressure/high-temperature process to form the polycrystalline diamond compact.
A method of fabricating a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
- disposing a mass of diamond particles between a substrate and a metal-solvent catalyst layer to form an assembly, wherein the metal-solvent catalyst layer is substantially free of tungsten, tungsten carbide, or combinations thereof;
- infiltrating the mass of diamond particles partially with metal-solvent catalyst from the metal-solvent catalyst layer and partially with a metal-solvent catalyst constituent from the substrate under high-pressure/high-temperature conditions that promote sintering of the diamond particles to form a polycrystalline diamond table bonded to the substrate;
- and
- removing at least a portion of the metal-solvent catalyst from the polycrystalline diamond table.
The method of claim 29 wherein the polycrystalline diamond table comprises a proximal region adjacent to the substrate that includes the metal-solvent catalyst constituent and a distal region remote from the substrate that includes a residual amount of the metal-solvent catalyst material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.