Fixed cutter drill bits including cutter elements with enhanced durability

A cutter element for a fixed cutter drill bit configured to drill a borehole in a subterranean formation, the cutter element comprising:

• a substrate having a central axis, a first end, a second end axially opposite the first end;
• a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) cutting layer mounted to the first end of the substrate, wherein the cutting layer includes a cutting face distal the substrate and a radially outer surface extending axially from the cutting face to substrate;
• wherein the substrate comprises a laminate body extending from the first end of the substrate to the second end of the substrate, wherein the laminate body is directly bonded to the cutting layer at the first end of the substrate;
• wherein the laminate body comprises:
• a plurality of tungsten carbide (WC) layers including a first end WC layer disposed at the first end of the laminate body and a second end WC layer disposed at the second end of the laminate body, wherein each WC layer extends radially to the radially outer surface of the substrate, wherein each WC layer is made of a cemented WC material having a Young's Modulus, and wherein the cemented WC material of each WC layer comprises a plurality of WC particles dispersed in a Cobalt (Co) binder, wherein the cemented WC material of each WC layer comprises at least 6.0 wt % Co binder;
• and
• a plurality of flexible layers axially positioned between the first end WC layer and the second end WC layer, wherein each flexible layer is axially positioned between a pair of axially adjacent WC layers, wherein each flexible layer is made of a metal or metal alloy material having a Young's Modulus that is less than the Young's Modulus of each WC layer.