Polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutting element having multiple catalytic elements
View Patent ↗A polycrystalline diamond compact useful for wear, cutting, drilling, drawing and like applications is provided with a first diamond region remote from the working surface which has a metallic catalyzing material and a second diamond region adjacent to or including the working surface containing a non-metallic catalyst and the method of making such a compact is provided. This compact is particularly useful in high temperature operations, such as hard rock drilling because of the improved thermal stability at the working surface.
1. A polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
a substrate; and
a volume of diamond material attached to the substrate, the volume of diamond material including a top surface and a side wall surface, wherein the volume of diamond material includes a metallic catalyzing material and a non-metallic catalyzing material;
wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material extends along the top surface and the side wall surface.
2. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the metallic catalyzing material of the first volume consists of one or more metallic elements from Group VIII of the periodic table.
3. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the metallic catalyzing material includes transition metals selected from the group consisting of Mn, Cr and Ta.
4. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the metallic catalyzing material includes an alloy comprising:
a carbide forming material selected from the group of materials consisting of Group IVB, Group VB and Group VIB materials; and
a material selected from the group consisting of Group IB materials.
5. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material consists of phosphorous.
6. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material includes an alkaline and alkaline earth carbonate, selected from the group consisting of Li 2 CO 3 , Na 2 CO 3 , MgCO 3 , CaCO 3 , SrCO 3 and K 2 CO 3 .
7. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material includes a sulfate.
8. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material includes one or more hydrates.
9. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material includes WO 3 .
10. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material includes a material selected from the group of boron and boron carbide.
11. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material in the second volume includes TiC 0.6 .
12. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material includes a material selected from the group consisting of iron oxide and iron double oxide.
13. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material includes a buckminsterfullerene.
14. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material comprises silicon.
15. A process for making a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
sintering a volume of diamond material to a substrate, the volume of diamond material including a top surface and a side wall surface;
defining a first volume of the sintered polycrystalline diamond material such that it contains a metallic catalyzing material; and
defining a second volume of the sintered polycrystalline diamond material such that it contains a non-metallic catalyzing material, the second volume including the top surface and the side wall surface.
16. The process according to claim 15 , further comprising mixing the non-metallic catalyzing material with superhard diamond particles prior to sintering.
17. The process according to claim 15 , wherein defining a second volume of the sintered polycrystalline diamond material such that it contains a non-metallic catalyzing material further comprises:
removing a metallic catalyzing material from the second volume after sintering; and
subsequently introducing the non-metallic catalyzing material into interstitial spaces between bonded superhard particles in the second volume.
18. The process according to claim 17 , wherein removing a metallic catalyzing material from the second volume comprises leaching.
19. The process according to claim 18 , wherein subsequently introducing the non-metallic catalyzing material into interstitial spaces between bonded superhard particles in the second volume includes introducing a material comprising silicon into interstitial spaces between bonded superhard particles in the second volume.
20. The process according to claim 18 , further comprising forming a bevel between the top surface and the side wall surface prior to leaching.
21. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material is introduced to the second volume in a high pressure-high temperature process subsequent sintering a volume of diamond material to a substrate.
22. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material is reintroduced to the second volume by at least one of a solvent re-precipitator technique, a gas phase/plasma technique, a vacuum melt process, and an oven cycle.
23. The process according to claim 15 , wherein introducing the non-metallic catalyzing material into interstitial spaces between bonded superhard particles in the second volume further comprises introducing a material comprising silicon into interstitial spaces between bonded superhard particles in the second volume.
24. A drill bit, comprising:
a shank; and
a bit body attached to the shank;
at least one polycrystalline diamond compact attached to the body, wherein the at least one polycrystalline body comprises:
a substrate; and
a volume of diamond material attached to the substrate, the volume of diamond material including a top surface and a side wall surface, wherein the volume of diamond material includes a metallic catalyzing material and a non-metallic catalyzing material;
wherein the non-metallic catalyzing material extends along the top surface and the side wall surface.