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US 9,610,555 B2Granted
Methods of fabricating polycrystalline diamond and polycrystalline diamond compacts
AssigneeUS Synthetic Corporation
InventorsDebkumar Mukhopadhyay, Kenneth E. Bertagnolli, Cody William Knuteson
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Abstract
Embodiments of the invention relate to methods of forming polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”), wherein the PDC includes a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table in which at least one Group VIII metal is at least partially alloyed with phosphorus and/or at least one other alloying element to improve the thermal stability of the PCD table. The disclosed PDCs may be used in a variety of applications, such as rotary drill bits, machining equipment, and other articles and apparatuses.
Claims25
A method of fabricating a polycrystalline diamond compact, the method comprising:
- providing a polycrystalline diamond compact including a polycrystalline diamond table bonded to an interfacial surface of a substrate, the polycrystalline diamond table including an upper surface remote from the interfacial surface of the substrate and at least one lateral surface extending between the upper surface of the polycrystalline diamond table and the interfacial surface of the substrate, wherein the polycrystalline diamond table includes a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions including at least one Group VIII metal disposed therein;
- positioning one or more alloying materials adjacent to at least a portion the upper surface of the polycrystalline diamond table to form an assembly, wherein the one or more alloying materials includes phosphorus;
- subjecting the assembly to an inert environment;
- and
- while the assembly is subjected to the inert environment, heating the assembly to an effective temperature and for an effective time to alloy at least some of the at least one Group VIII metal with the one or more alloying materials.
2 more elements
A method of fabricating a polycrystalline diamond compact, the method comprising:
- providing a preformed polycrystalline diamond table including an upper surface and at least one lateral surface, wherein the polycrystalline diamond table includes a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions including at least one Group VIII metal disposed therein;
- positioning one or more alloying materials adjacent to at least a portion of the upper surface of the preformed polycrystalline diamond table to form an assembly, wherein the one or more alloying materials include phosphorus;
- subjecting the assembly to an inert environment;
- while the assembly is subjected to the inert environment, heating the assembly to an effective temperature and for an effective time to alloy at least some of the at least one Group VIII metal with the one or more alloying materials to form a treated polycrystalline diamond table;
- and
- bonding the treated polycrystalline diamond table to a substrate.
3 more elements
A method of fabricating a polycrystalline diamond compact, the method comprising:
- forming an assembly that includes positioning a plurality of diamond particles disposed between a substrate and at least one of one or more phosphorus materials and optionally at least one other alloying element, wherein the substrate includes at least one Group VIII metal therein;
- subjecting the assembly to an inert environment;
- while the assembly is subjected to the inert environment, subjecting the assembly to a first high-pressure/high-temperature process at a temperature and a pressure effective to cause the at least one Group VIII metal to infiltrate the diamond particles and catalyze formation of a polycrystalline diamond table from the plurality of diamond particles, wherein the plurality of interstitial regions of the polycrystalline diamond table at least partially include the at least one Group VIII metal therein;
- and
- while the assembly is subjected to the inert environment, subjecting the assembly to a second high-pressure/high-temperature process at a temperature and a pressure effective to cause phosphorus from the one or more phosphorus materials to alloy with at least a portion of the at least one Group VIII metal in the polycrystalline diamond table.
2 more elements
A method of fabricating a polycrystalline diamond compact, the method comprising:
- providing a polycrystalline diamond compact including a polycrystalline diamond table bonded to an interfacial surface of a substrate, the polycrystalline diamond table including an upper surface remote from the interfacial surface of the substrate and at least one lateral surface extending between the upper surface of the polycrystalline diamond table and the interfacial surface of the substrate, wherein the polycrystalline diamond table includes a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions including at least one Group VIII metal disposed therein;
- and
- implanting phosphorus ions into at least a portion of the at least one Group VIII metal adjacent to the upper surface of the polycrystalline diamond table.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.