Polycrystalline diamond compact, methods of fabricating same, and rotary drill bit using same
View Patent ↗Embodiments of the present invention relate to superabrasive materials, superabrasive compacts employing such superabrasive materials, and methods of fabricating such superabrasive materials and compacts. In one embodiment, a superabrasive material includes a matrix comprising a plurality of coarse-sized superabrasive grains, with the coarse-sized superabrasive grains exhibiting a coarse-sized average grain size. The superabrasive material further includes a plurality of superabrasive regions dispersed within the matrix, with each superabrasive region including a plurality of fine-sized superabrasive grains exhibiting a fine-sized average grain size less than the coarse-sized average grain size. In another embodiment, the superabrasive materials may be employed in a superabrasive compact. The superabrasive compact comprises a substrate including a superabrasive table comprising any of the disclosed superabrasive materials. Further embodiments are directed to applications utilizing the disclosed superabrasive articles in applications, such as rotary drill bits.
1. A polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
a polycrystalline diamond table including:
a matrix including a plurality of coarse-sized diamond grains, the coarse-sized diamond grains exhibiting a coarse-sized average grain size of at least about 6 μm; and
a plurality of polycrystalline diamond regions dispersed within the matrix, at least a portion of the polycrystalline diamond regions including a plurality of fine-sized polycrystalline diamond grains exhibiting a fine-sized average grain size less than the coarse-sized average grain size, each of the at least a portion of the polycrystalline diamond regions exhibiting an average size of about 50 μm to about 200 μm; and
a substrate bonded to the polycrystalline diamond table.
2. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein each of the at least a portion of the polycrystalline diamond regions exhibits an average size that is greater than the coarse-sized average grain size.
3. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the fine-sized average grain size of each of the at least a portion of the polycrystalline diamond regions is about 6 μm or less.
4. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the coarse-sized average grain size of the matrix is about 5 times or more than the fine-sized average grain size of the plurality of polycrystalline diamond regions.
5. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the coarse-sized average grain size of the plurality of coarse-sized diamond grains is about 6 μm to about 30 μm.
6. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the coarse-sized average grain size of the plurality of coarse-sized diamond grains is about 6 μm to about 20 μm.
7. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the plurality of coarse-sized diamond grains exhibits a bimodal or greater grain size distribution.
8. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein:
the plurality of coarse-sized diamond grains define a plurality of first interstitial regions;
the plurality of fine-sized diamond grains define a plurality of second interstitial regions; and
at least a portion of the first and second interstitial regions include metal-solvent catalyst disposed therein.
9. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 8 wherein at least a portion of the first and the second interstitial regions are substantially free of the metal-solvent catalyst.
10. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the polycrystalline diamond table is pre-sintered.
11. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises a cemented carbide material including iron, nickel, cobalt, or alloys thereof.
12. A rotary drill bit comprising a bit body configured to facilitate drilling a subterranean formation including a plurality of cutting elements affixed thereto, at least one of the plurality of cutting elements configured according to the polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 .
13. A method, comprising:
forming a plurality of agglomerates in at least one selected agglomeration process so that the plurality of agglomerates so-formed exhibit a selected average agglomerate size, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of agglomerates include a plurality of fine-sized diamond particles exhibiting a fine-sized average particle size;
mixing the plurality of agglomerates with a plurality of coarse-sized diamond particles to form a mixture, wherein the coarse-sized diamond particles exhibits a coarse-sized average particle size greater than the fine-sized average particle size; and
sintering the mixture to form a polycrystalline diamond element.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein sintering the mixture to form a polycrystalline diamond element comprises:
exposing the mixture to at least about 40 kilobar; and
heating the mixture to at least about 1000° C.
15. The method of claim 13 wherein forming a plurality of agglomerates in at least one selected agglomeration process so that the plurality of agglomerates so-formed exhibit a selected average agglomerate size comprises at least one of freeze drying, spray-drying, or sieve granulating the plurality of fine-sized diamond particles to form the plurality of agglomerates.
16. The method of claim 13 wherein the selected average agglomerate size is greater than the coarse-sized average particle size of the plurality of coarse-sized diamond particles.
17. The method of claim 13 wherein:
the selected average agglomerate size of the plurality of agglomerates is about 50 μm to about 200 μm; and
the coarse-sized average particle size of the plurality of coarse-sized diamond particles is about 6 μm to about 20 μm.
18. The method of claim 13 wherein:
the coarse-sized average particle size of the plurality of coarse-sized diamond particles is about 10 μm to about 30 μm; and
the fine-sized average particle size of the at least a portion of the plurality of agglomerates is about 6 μm or less.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein the coarse-sized average particle size of the plurality of coarse-sized diamond particles is about 5 times or more than the fine-sized average particle size of the at least a portion of the plurality of agglomerates.
20. The method of claim 13 wherein the plurality of coarse-sized diamond particles exhibits a bimodal or greater particle size distribution.
21. The method of claim 13 , further comprising, prior to the act of sintering the mixture to form the polycrystalline diamond element, positioning the mixture adjacent to a substrate.
22. The method of claim 13 , further comprising bonding the polycrystalline diamond element to a substrate.
23. The method of claim 13 wherein mixing the plurality of agglomerates with a plurality of coarse-sized diamond particles to form a mixture comprises mixing the plurality of agglomerates with the plurality of coarse-sized diamond particles so that the plurality of agglomerates do not substantially break apart during the mixing.
24. A method, comprising:
at least one of freeze drying, spray-drying, or sieve granulating a plurality of fine-sized diamond particles to form a plurality of agglomerates exhibiting a selected average agglomerate size, wherein the plurality of fine-sized diamond particles exhibits a fine-sized average particle size;
mixing the plurality of agglomerates with a plurality of coarse-sized diamond particles to form a mixture, wherein the coarse-sized diamond particles exhibits a coarse-sized average particle size greater than the fine-sized average particle size; and
sintering the mixture to form a polycrystalline diamond element.
25. A polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
a polycrystalline diamond table including:
a matrix including a plurality of coarse-sized diamond grains, the coarse-sized diamond grains exhibiting a coarse-sized average grain size of at least about 6 μm and at least a bimodal grain size distribution; and
a plurality of polycrystalline diamond regions dispersed within the matrix, at least a portion of the polycrystalline diamond regions including a plurality of fine-sized polycrystalline diamond grains exhibiting a fine-sized average grain size less than the coarse-sized average grain size, each of the at least a portion of the polycrystalline diamond regions exhibiting an average size of at least about 50 μm; and
a substrate bonded to the polycrystalline diamond table.