Method for producing multiple polycrystalline bodies

A method for producing multiple polycrystalline bodies, which method comlprises the steps of:

• combining quantities of crystals selected from the group consisting of diamond, cubic boron nitride and combinations thereof with a temporary binding means;
• forming the combination of said crystals and temporary binding agent into temporarily held bodies of predetermined size and shape;
• placing said temporarily held bodies of crystals into a reaction chamber;
• surrounding each of said temporarily held bodies with a powdered pressure transmitting medium after the temporarily he ld bodies are places in the reaction chamber;
• pressing and heating said reaction chamber to a pressure and temperature sufficient to form discrete polycrystalline bodies of approximately the same shapes as said temporarily held bodies of crystals;
• and
• removing the pressure transmitting medium thereby freeing the discrete polycrystalline bodies.

A method for producing multiple polycrystalline diamond bodies which method comprises the steps of:

• combining quantities of diamond crystals and a catalyst/binder material with a wax;
• molding the combination of diamond crystals and wax into temporarily held bodies of predetermined size and shape;
• coating said temporarily held bodies with a separating layer comprising cobalt and graphite powder;
• placing said coated temporarily held bodies in a reaction chamber;
• surrounding said temporarily held bodies with a pressure transmitting medium comprising grains of cemented tungsten carbide and copper powder;
• removing substantially all of said wax from the reaction chamber;
• pressing and heating said reaction chamber to a pressure and temperature sufficient to form discrete polycrystalline diamond bodies of approximately the same shape as said temporarily held bodies;
• and
• removing the pressure transmitting medium thereby freeing the discrete polycrystalline diamond bodies.

A method for producing bodies of polycrystalline diamond with a selected shape and size comprising the steps of:

• forming bodies of aggregated crystals of diamond and a temporary binder, having the desired shape and a size sufficiently large to shrink to the desired size upon sintering;
• providing a powdered pressure transmitting medium between adjacent bodies;
• isostatically pressing a plurality of such bodies at a sufficient temperature and pressure to form polycrystalline diamond;
• and
• removing the separating material for separating the bodies.