Electrochemical corrosion of catalyst material from pcd elements

A system for treating a cutter element, the system comprising:

• an electrolyte solution;
• a counter electrode in electrical contact with the electrolyte solution;
• a volume of polycrystalline diamond in electrical contact with the electrolyte solution, wherein the volume of the polycrystalline diamond comprises interbonded diamond grains and a catalyst material disposed in at least some of the interstitial spaces between adjacent diamond grains in the volume of polycrystalline diamond;
• and
• a power source electrically coupled to the counter electrode and the volume of the polycrystalline diamond, wherein the power source is configured to supply an electrical current to maintain a predetermined electrochemical potential between a reference electrode and the volume of polycrystalline diamond to form a corrosion product from the catalyst material, wherein the corrosion product is soluble in the electrolyte solution.

A method of treating a cutter element comprising:

• contacting at least a portion of a volume of polycrystalline diamond with an electrolyte solution, wherein the volume of the polycrystalline diamond comprises interbonded diamond grains and a catalyst material disposed in the interstitial spaces between adjacent diamond grains in the volume of polycrystalline diamond;
• applying an electrical current between the volume of the polycrystalline diamond and a counter electrode, wherein the counter electrode is in contact with the electrolyte solution;
• circulating the electrolyte solution during the applying of the electrical current;
• and
• corroding at least a portion of the catalyst material from the interstitial spaces between the diamond grains in the volume of polycrystalline diamond.