Polycrystalline diamond compact including a pre-sintered polycrystalline diamond table including a nonmetallic catalyst that limits infiltration of a metallic-catalyst infiltrant therein and applications therefor

A method of manufacturing a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:

• providing a polycrystalline diamond table including an upper surface, an interfacial surface generally opposing the upper surface, and at least one lateral surface, the polycrystalline diamond table including a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, the polycrystalline diamond table including a first region having a nonmetallic catalyst disposed interstitially between the bonded diamond grains thereof and a second region that is substantially free of the nonmetallic catalyst, the first region extending inwardly from the upper surface to an intermediate depth, the second region extending inwardly from the interfacial surface toward the upper surface;
• after the act of providing, positioning a cemented carbide substrate including a metallic catalyst therein to directly abut at least a portion of the interfacial surface of the polycrystalline diamond table;
• and
• after the act of positioning, infiltrating a portion of the metallic catalyst into the interstitial regions of the second region of the polycrystalline diamond table;
• wherein the nonmetallic catalyst limits infiltration of the portion of metallic catalyst into the polycrystalline diamond table to a selected infiltration depth;
• wherein the nonmetallic catalyst includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of a mixture including at least two carbonates having a eutectic or near eutectic composition, elemental phosphorous, elemental sulfur, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, and a derivative of a chlorinated hydrocarbon.

A method of manufacturing a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:

• providing a polycrystalline diamond table including an upper surface, an interfacial surface generally opposing the upper surface, and at least one lateral surface, the polycrystalline diamond table including a plurality of bonded diamond grains exhibiting diamond-to-diamond bonding therebetween and defining a plurality of interstitial regions, the polycrystalline diamond table including a first region having a nonmetallic catalyst disposed interstitially between the bonded diamond grains thereof and a second region that has less of the nonmetallic catalyst than the first region, the first region extending inwardly from the upper surface to an intermediate depth, the second region extending inwardly from the interfacial surface toward the upper surface;
• after the act of providing, positioning a cemented carbide substrate including a metallic catalyst therein to directly abut at least a portion of the interfacial surface of the polycrystalline diamond table;
• and
• after the act of positioning, infiltrating a portion of the metallic catalyst into the interstitial regions of the second region of the polycrystalline diamond table;
• wherein the nonmetallic catalyst limits infiltration of the portion of metallic catalyst into the polycrystalline diamond table;
• wherein the nonmetallic catalyst includes at least one material selected from the group consisting of a mixture including at least two carbonates having a eutectic or near eutectic composition, elemental phosphorous, elemental sulfur, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, and a derivative of a chlorinated hydrocarbon.