1809 results about "Polycrystalline diamond" patented technology

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 first portion of the interstitial matrix in the body adjacent to the working surface is substantially free of the catalyzing material, and a second portion of the interstitial matrix in the body adjacent to the working surface contains the catalyzing material. The first portion of the interstitial matrix and the second portion of the interstitial matrix have substantially the same impact strength.

The present invention provides a superhard polycrystalline diamond or diamond-like element with greatly improved resistance to thermal degradation without loss of impact strength. Collectively called PCD elements, these elements are formed with a binder-catalyzing material in a high-temperature, high-pressure process. The PCD element has a plurality of partially bonded diamond or diamond-like crystals forming at least one continuous diamond matrix, and the interstices among the diamond crystals forming at least one continuous interstitial matrix containing a catalyzing material. The element has a working surface and a body, 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. This translates to higher wear resistance in cutting applications, higher heat transfer capacity in heat sink applications, and has advantages in numerous other applications including hollow dies, indentors, tool mandrels, and wear elements.

Polycrystalline diamond constructions include a diamond body comprising a matrix phase of bonded together diamond crystals formed at high pressure / high temperature conditions with a catalyst material. The sintered body is treated remove the catalyst material disposed within interstitial regions, rendering it substantially free of the catalyst material used to initially sinter the body. Accelerating techniques can be used to remove the catalyst material. The body includes an infiltrant material disposed within interstitial regions in a first region of the construction. The body includes a second region adjacent the working surface and that is substantially free of the infiltrant material. The infiltrant material can be a Group VIII material not used to initially sinter the diamond body. A metallic substrate is attached to the diamond body, and can be the same or different from a substrate used as a source of the catalyst material used to initially sinter the diamond body.

PCD materials comprise a diamond body having bonded diamond crystals and interstitial regions disposed among the crystals. The diamond body is formed from diamond grains and a catalyst material at high pressure / high temperature conditions. The diamond grains have an average particle size of about 0.03 mm or greater. At least a portion of the diamond body has a high diamond volume content of greater than about 93 percent by volume. The entire diamond body can comprise high volume content diamond or a region of the diamond body can comprise the high volume content diamond. The diamond body includes a working surface, a first region substantially free of the catalyst material, and a second region that includes the catalyst material. At least a portion of the first region extends from the working surface to depth of from about 0.01 to about 0.1 mm.

Thermally-stable polycrystalline diamond materials of this invention comprise a first phase including a plurality of bonded together diamond crystals, and a second phase including a reaction product formed between a binder / catalyst material and a material reactive with the binder / catalyst material. The reaction product is disposed within interstitial regions of the polycrystalline diamond material that exists between the bonded diamond crystals. The first and second phases are formed during a single high pressure / high temperature process condition. The reaction product has a coefficient of thermal expansion that is relatively closer to that of the bonded together diamond crystals than that of the binder / catalyst material, thereby providing an improved degree of thermal stability to the polycrystalline diamond material.

Polycrystalline diamond (PCD) carbide composites of this invention have a microstructure comprising a plurality of granules formed from PCD, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, or mixture thereof, that are distributed within a substantially continuous second matrix region that substantially surrounds the granules and that is formed from a cermet material. In an example embodiment, the granules are polycrystalline diamond and the cermet material is cemented tungsten carbide. PCD carbide composites of this invention display improved properties of fracture toughness and chipping resistance, without substantially compromising wear resistance, when compared to conventional pure PCD materials.

PCD composite constructions comprise a diamond body bonded to a substrate. The diamond body comprises a thermally stable diamond bonded region that is made up of a single phase of diamond crystals bonded together. The diamond body includes a PCD region bonded to the thermally stable region and that comprises bonded together diamond crystals and interstitial regions interposed between the diamond crystals. The PCD composite is prepared by combining a first volume of PCD with a second volume of diamond crystal-containing material consisting essentially of a single phase of bonded together diamond crystals. A substrate is positioned adjacent to or joined to the first volume. The first and second volumes are subjected to high pressure / high temperature process conditions, during process the first and second volumes form a diamond bonded body that is attached to the substrate, and the second volume forms the thermally stable diamond bonded region.