Loading patent…
AssigneeCamco International (UK) Limited
InventorsNigel Dennis Griffin, Peter Raymond Hughes
Estimating the term…
Disclosed is a polycrystalline diamond or diamond-like element with greatly improved wear resistance without loss of impact strength. These elements are formed with a binder-catalyzing material in a high-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) process. The PCD element has a body with a plurality of bonded diamond or diamond-like crystals forming a continuous diamond matrix that has a diamond volume density greater than 85%. Interstices among the diamond crystals form a continuous interstitial matrix containing a catalyzing material. The diamond matrix table is formed and integrally bonded with a metallic substrate containing the catalyzing material during the HTHP process. The diamond matrix body has a working surface, where a portion of the interstitial matrix in the body adjacent to the working surface is substantially free of the catalyzing material, and the remaining interstitial matrix contains the catalyzing material. Typically, less than about 70% of the body of the diamond matrix table is free of the catalyzing material.
A PCD element comprising a body of bonded diamonds integrally formed with a metallic substrate, the body having a working surface and at least an 85% by volume diamond density, wherein a first volume of the body remote from the working surface contains a catalyzing material, a second volume of the body adjacent to the working surface extends beneath the working surface to a depth of at least about 0.1 mm and is substantially flee of the catalyzing material, and wherein the diamonds have an average particle size substantially greater than 15 microns.
A PCD element comprising a diamond containing body integrally formed with a metallic substrate, the body having at least an 85% by volume diamond density, a catalyzing material, and an interstitial matrix comprising a plurality of interstitial regions, wherein a first interstitial region adjacent to a working surface is substantially free of the catalyzing material and a second interstitial region in a portion of the body in contact with the substrate contains the catalyzing material, wherein the first interstitial region extends beneath the working surface to a depth of at least about 0.1 mm and the second interstitial region has an average thickness from the substrate of greater than about 0.15 mm, and wherein the diamonds have an average particle size substantially greater than 15 microns.
A PCD element comprising a body integrally formed with a metallic substrate, the body comprising a catalyzing material, a working surface, and a plurality of bonded diamond crystals having surfaces, the body having at least an 85% by volume diamond density, wherein at least 30% of the diamond crystals in the body contact the catalyzing material and the surfaces of a majority of the remaining diamond crystals that extend beneath the working surface to a depth of at least about 0.1 mm are substantially free of the catalyzing material, and wherein the diamond crystals have an average particle size substantially greater than 15 microns.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.