Polycrystalline diamond element
OwnerJohn Hewitt Liversage, Kaveshini Naidooinventors
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Abstract
An embodiment of a PCD insert comprises an embodiment of a PCD element joined to a cemented carbide substrate at an interface. The PCD element has internal diamond surfaces defining interstices between them. The PCD element further comprises a working surface and a low melting point region adjacent the working surface in which the interstices are at least partially filled with a low melting point metallic material having a melting point of less than about 1,300 degrees centigrade at atmospheric pressure, or less than about 1,200 degrees centigrade at atmospheric pressure. The PCD clement includes an intermediate region, the interstices of the intermediate region being at least partially filled with a catalyst material for diamond.
Claims17
A polycrystalline diamond (PCD) element having internal diamond surfaces, the internal diamond surfaces defining interstices between them, the PCD element comprising a working surface, a low melting point region adjacent the working surface and in which the interstices are at least partially filled with a low melting point metallic material having a melting point of less than about 1,300 degrees centigrade at atmospheric pressure, and an intermediate region extending a distance of between about 5 microns and about 600 microns from a boundary defined by the low melting point region, the interstices of the intermediate region being at least partially filled with a catalyst material for diamond.
A method for making a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) element, the method including providing a PCD body comprising a sintering aid within interstices of the PCD body, removing at least some of the sintering aid from a portion of the polycrystalline diamond element to form a porous region adjacent a working surface, and infiltrating or permeating at least a portion of the porous region with low melting point metallic material having a low melting point of less than 1,300 degrees centigrade at atmospheric pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.