IP Library Granted Patent US 10,610,999
Granted Patent B1
US 10,610,999 · App. 14/879,907 · Granted Apr 7, 2020

Leached polycrystalline diamond elements

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,610,999
App. No.
14/879,907
Granted
Apr 7, 2020
Kind
B1
Abstract

A method of processing a polycrystalline diamond material includes exposing at least a portion of a polycrystalline diamond material to a processing solution, the polycrystalline diamond material including a metallic material disposed in interstitial spaces defined within the polycrystalline diamond material. The method includes exposing an electrode to the processing solution, applying a positive charge to the polycrystalline diamond material, and applying a negative charge to the electrode. An assembly for processing a polycrystalline diamond body includes a polycrystalline diamond body and an electrode that are in electrical communication with a volume of processing solution, and a power source configured to apply a positive charge to the polycrystalline diamond body and a negative charge to the electrode.

Claims (34)

1. A polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:

a substrate; and

a polycrystalline diamond table bonded to the substrate, the polycrystalline diamond table including a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, the polycrystalline diamond table defining an upper surface spaced from an interfacial surface bonded to the substrate, the polycrystalline diamond table including:

an unleached volume extending inwardly from the interfacial surface, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions of the unleached volume including a metallic material and at least one tungsten-containing material disposed therein; and

a leached volume extending between the unleached volume and the upper surface, the metallic material present in the leached volume in a first concentration of from about 0 weight % to about 1.2 weight % and the at least one tungsten-containing material present in the leached volume in a second concentration of from about 0.5 weight % to about 1.5 weight %.

2. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tungsten-containing material includes one or more of chromium, niobium, tantalum, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, or a carbide of any of the foregoing.

3. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tungsten-containing material includes one or more of tungsten, tungsten carbide, or cobalt tungsten carbide.

4. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the at least one tungsten-containing material includes a cementing constituent having one or more of cobalt, iron, nickel, alloys of any of the foregoing, or combinations of any of the foregoing.

5. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the first concentration of the metallic material is about 0 weight % to about 1 weight %.

6. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the first concentration of the metallic material is about 0.8 weight % to about 1.0 weight %, wherein the at least one tungsten-containing material includes tungsten carbide and the second concentration is about 0.5 weight % to about 1.0 weight %.

7. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the leached volume includes about 95 weight % to about 99 weight % diamond, wherein the metallic material includes at least one Group VIII metal and the first concentration of the metallic material is about 0.8 weight % to about 1.2 weight %, and wherein the at least one tungsten-containing material includes tungsten carbide and the second concentration is about 0.6 weight % to about 0.8 weight %.

8. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond table includes an additional leached volume, the leached volume disposed between the additional leached volume and the unleached volume, wherein the additional leached volume has less of the at least one tungsten-containing material than the leached volume.

9. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 8 , wherein the additional leached volume is substantially free of the at least one tungsten-containing material.

10. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 8 , wherein the concentration of the at least one tungsten-containing material is about the same in the leached volume and the unleached volume.

11. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the metallic material includes at least one Group VIII metal.

12. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 10 , wherein the at least one Group VIII metal includes at least one of cobalt, iron, or nickel.

13. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond table includes at least one side surface and a chamfer extending between the at least one side surface and the upper surface, wherein the leached volume extends inwardly from one or more of the at least one side surface, the chamfer, or the upper surface.

14. A leached polycrystalline diamond element, the leached polycrystalline diamond element fabricated according to a method comprising:

exposing an electrode and at least a portion of a polycrystalline diamond material to a processing solution, wherein the polycrystalline diamond material includes a plurality of diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions including a metallic material and at least one tungsten-containing material disposed therein; and

while the electrode and the at least the portion of the polycrystalline diamond material are exposed to the processing solution, applying an electrical potential between the electrode and the polycrystalline diamond material to cause electrochemical and preferential leaching of at least a portion of the metallic material from the polycrystalline diamond material over the at least one tungsten-containing material to form a leached volume;

wherein the metallic material is present in the leached volume of the polycrystalline diamond material in a first concentration of from about 0 weight % to about 1.2 weight % and the at least one tungsten-containing material present in the leached volume in a second concentration of from about 0.5 weight % to about 1.5 weight %.

15. The leached polycrystalline diamond element of claim 14 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond material defines a polycrystalline diamond table that is bonded to a substrate, the polycrystalline diamond table including:

an upper surface;

an interfacial surface spaced from the upper surface and bonded to the substrate;

at least one side surface extending between the upper surface and the interfacial surface;

a chamfer extending between the upper surface and the at least one side surface;

an unleached volume extending inwardly from the interfacial surface, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions of the unleached volume including the metallic material and the at least one tungsten-containing material disposed therein; and

wherein the leached volume extends between the unleached volume and the upper surface.

16. The leached polycrystalline diamond element of claim 15 , wherein the method includes:

prior to exposing the electrode and the at least the portion of the polycrystalline diamond material to the processing solution, exposing the at least the portion of the polycrystalline diamond material to an additional processing solution that at least partially non-electrochemically leaches at least a portion of the metallic material from the polycrystalline diamond material; and

wherein applying an electrical potential between the electrode and the polycrystalline diamond material to cause electrochemical and preferential leaching of at least a portion of the metallic material from the polycrystalline diamond material over the at least one tungsten-containing material includes applying the electrical potential between the electrode and the polycrystalline diamond material to cause electrochemical and preferential leaching after exposing the at least the portion of the polycrystalline diamond material to the additional processing solution.

17. The leached polycrystalline diamond element of claim 16 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond table includes an additional leached volume, the leached volume disposed between the additional leached volume and the unleached volume, wherein the additional leached volume has less of the at least one tungsten-containing material than the leached volume.

18. The leached polycrystalline diamond element of claim 17 , wherein the additional leached volume extends inwardly from one or more of the upper surface, the chamfer, or the at least one side surface.

19. The leached polycrystalline diamond element of claim 14 , wherein the method further includes masking the polycrystalline diamond material with a masking layer so that only the at least the portion of the polycrystalline diamond material is exposed to the processing solution.

Assignments (5)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jul 18, 2025
From: US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION
To: KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 074973/0089 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 7, 2022
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
To: ACE DOWNHOLE, LLC; HARBISON-FISCHER, INC.; NORRIS RODS, INC.; PCS FERGUSON, INC.; QUARTZDYNE, INC.; SPIRIT GLOBAL ENERGY SOLUTIONS, INC.; THETA OILFIELD SERVICES, INC.; APERGY BMCS ACQUISITION CORP.; NORRISEAL-WELLMARK, INC.; US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION; WINDROCK, INC.
Reel/Frame 060305/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 5, 2020
From: ACE DOWNHOLE, LLC; APERGY BMCS ACQUISITION CORP.; HARBISON-FISCHER, INC.; NORRIS RODS, INC.; NORRISEAL-WELLMARK, INC.; PCS FERGUSON, INC.; QUARTZDYNE, INC.; SPIRIT GLOBAL ENERGY SOLUTIONS, INC.; THETA OILFIELD SERVICES, INC.; US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION; WINDROCK, INC.
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053790/0001 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 9, 2018
From: APERGY (DELAWARE) FORMATION, INC.; APERGY BMCS ACQUISITION CORP.; APERGY ENERGY AUTOMATION, LLC; HARBISON-FISCHER, INC.; NORRISEAL-WELLMARK, INC.; PCS FERGUSON, INC.; QUARTZDYNE, INC.; SPIRIT GLOBAL ENERGY SOLUTIONS, INC.; US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION; WINDROCK, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 046117/0015 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 28, 2015
From: HEATON, DAREN NATHANIEL; LYNN, JEREMY BRETT; CHAPMAN, MARK PEHRSON; BOND, OAKLEY D.
To: US SYNTHETIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 036900/0680 →