Leaching assemblies, systems, and methods for processing superabrasive elements

1. A method of processing a polycrystalline diamond element, the method comprising:

depositing a curable material within a protective leaching cup, the protective leaching cup including a rear wall and a side wall, the side wall comprising:

a seal region having a first inner diameter;

an encapsulating region extending between the seal region and the rear wall, the encapsulating region having a second inner diameter that is greater than the first inner diameter;

positioning a polycrystalline diamond element, which comprises a polycrystalline diamond table bonded to a substrate, within the protective leaching cup such that:

the curable material is disposed within the encapsulating region so as to surround at least a portion of the substrate;

the curable material does not contact the polycrystalline diamond table;

the curable material does not occupy a region of volume defined between the substrate and the protective leaching cup;

curing the curable material to form a protective layer on at least the portion of the substrate;

exposing at least a portion of the polycrystalline diamond element to a leaching agent such that the leaching agent contacts an exposed surface region of the polycrystalline diamond table.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the protective leaching cup comprises an opening defined in a portion of the protective leaching cup opposite the rear wall;

the side wall extends between the opening and the rear wall, the side wall and the rear wall defining a cavity within the protective leaching cup.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein depositing the curable material within the protective leaching cup comprises depositing the curable material adjacent the rear wall of the protective leaching cup.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the curable material does not occupy a region of volume defined between the substrate and the rear wall of the protective leaching cup.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the polycrystalline diamond element comprises:

a cutting face;

a rear face opposite the cutting face;

a side surface extending between the cutting face and the rear face;

positioning the polycrystalline diamond element within the protective leaching cup comprises:

forcing the substrate against the curable material such that the curable material is displaced within the encapsulating region of the protective leaching cup.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the seal region of the protective leaching cup tightly surrounds at least a portion of the side surface of the polycrystalline diamond table so as to form a seal between the seal region and the side surface.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein curing the curable material comprises exposing the curable material to light.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:

the protective leaching cup comprises a light-transmissive material; and

exposing the curable material to the light further comprises transmitting the light through at least a portion of the side wall of the protective leaching cup.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the light comprises near-ultraviolet light.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein curing the curable material comprises heating the curable material to at least a threshold temperature.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein exposing at least the portion of the polycrystalline diamond element to the leaching agent comprises submerging at least the portion of the polycrystalline diamond table and at least a portion of the protective leaching cup in the leaching agent.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the seal region contacts a portion of the polycrystalline diamond table.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the polycrystalline diamond element within the protective leaching cup further comprises forcing at least a portion of the seal region of the side wall outward and away from the polycrystalline diamond element.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein positioning the polycrystalline diamond element within the protective leaching cup further comprises defining a gap between at least the portion of the seal region of the side wall and the polycrystalline diamond element.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a chamfer.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer does not occupy the region of volume defined between the substrate and the protective leaching cup.