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 volume of polycrystalline diamond material having a plurality of interstitial spaces, wherein a material comprising cobalt is disposed in at least some interstitial spaces and wherein a material comprising boron is disposed in at least some other interstitial spaces.
2. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the volume of polycrystalline diamond material includes a top surface and a side surface, and wherein the material comprising boron is disposed in at least some interstitial spaces adjacent the top surface.
3. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 2 , further comprising a substrate, wherein the volume of polycrystalline diamond material is attached to the substrate.
4. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 3 , wherein the substrate comprises tungsten carbide.
5. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 2 , wherein the material comprising boron is disposed in substantially all of the interstices adjacent the top surface.
6. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 4 , wherein the material comprising boron is also disposed in at least some interstitial spaces adjacent the side surface.
7. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 6 , wherein the volume of polycrystalline diamond material is beveled.
8. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 2 , wherein the material comprising boron is also disposed in at least some interstitial spaces adjacent the side surface.
9. A process for making a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
sintering a volume of polycrystalline diamond material;
disposing a material comprising cobalt in at least some interstitial spaces defined within the volume of polycrystalline diamond material; and
disposing a material comprising boron in at least some other interstitial spaces defined within the volume of polycrystalline diamond material.
10. The process according to claim 9 , further comprising attaching a substrate to the volume of polycrystalline diamond material.
11. The process according to claim 10 , further comprising forming the substrate from a material comprising tungsten carbide.
12. The process according to claim 11 , wherein disposing a material comprising boron in at least some interstitial spaces defined within the volume of polycrystalline diamond material further includes disposing a material comprising boron in at least some interstitial spaces adjacent a top surface of the volume of polycrystalline diamond material.
13. The process according to claim 12 , wherein disposing a material comprising boron in at least some interstitial spaces defined within the volume of polycrystalline diamond material further includes disposing a material comprising boron in at least some interstitial spaces adjacent a side surface of the volume of polycrystalline diamond material.
14. The process according to claim 13 , further comprising beveling the volume of polycrystalline diamond material.
15. The process according to claim 9 , wherein disposing a material comprising cobalt in at least some interstitial spaces defined within the volume of polycrystalline diamond material includes disposing a material comprising cobalt in substantially all interstitial spaces of the polycrystalline diamond material and wherein the process further includes removing the material comprising cobalt from the at least some other interstitial spaces prior to disposing the material comprising boron in the at least some other interstitial spaces.
16. The process according to claim 15 , wherein removing cobalt from the at least some other interstitial spaces includes leaching the cobalt from the at least some other interstitial spaces.
17. 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 polycrystalline diamond material having a plurality of interstitial spaces, wherein a material comprising cobalt is disposed in at least some interstitial spaces and wherein a material comprising boron is disposed in at least some other interstitial spaces.
18. The drill bit of claim 17 , wherein the volume of polycrystalline diamond material includes a top surface and a side surface, and wherein the material comprising boron is disposed in at least some interstitial spaces adjacent the top surface.
19. The drill bit of claim 18 , further comprising a substrate, wherein the volume of polycrystalline diamond material is attached to the substrate.
20. The drill bit of claim 19 , wherein the substrate comprises tungsten carbide.
21. The drill bit of claim 18 , wherein the material comprising boron is disposed in substantially all of the interstices adjacent the top surface.
22. The drill bit of claim 18 , wherein the material comprising boron is also disposed in at least some interstitial spaces adjacent the side surface.
23. The drill bit of claim 22 , wherein the volume of polycrystalline diamond material is beveled.