Polycrystalline diamond cutters having non-catalytic material addition and methods of making the same
Polycrystalline diamond cutters for rotary drill bits and methods of making the same are disclosed. A polycrystalline diamond compact includes a polycrystalline diamond body having a working surface, an interface surface, and a perimeter surface. The polycrystalline diamond compact also includes a substrate bonded to the polycrystalline diamond body along the interface surface. A non-diamond volume fraction of the polycrystalline diamond body is greater at the interface surface than at the working surface.
1. A polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
a polycrystalline diamond body comprising a working surface, an interface surface, and a perimeter surface; and
a substrate bonded to the polycrystalline diamond body along the interface surface,
wherein a non-diamond volume fraction of the polycrystalline diamond body is greater at the interface surface than at the working surface,
wherein the polycrystalline diamond body exhibits a concentration of non-catalytic material that is lower at the working surface than at the interface surface, and
wherein the non-catalytic material is selected from the group consisting of lead, bismuth, and alloys, nitrides, carbides and carbonitrides thereof.
2. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is free of the non-catalytic material.
3. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond body comprises a uniform particle size distribution of inter-bonded diamond particles.
4. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond body comprises voids between inter-bonded diamond grains, and wherein the voids have larger volumes at the interface surface than at the working surface.
5. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond body comprises voids between inter-bonded diamond grains, and wherein the interface surface exhibits a greater quantity of voids than the working surface.
6. A polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
a polycrystalline diamond body comprising a working surface, an interface surface, and a perimeter surface; and
a substrate bonded to the polycrystalline diamond body along the interface surface,
wherein the polycrystalline diamond body exhibits a concentration of non-catalytic material that is lower at the working surface than at the interface surface, and
wherein the non-catalytic material is selected from the group consisting of lead and alloys, nitrides, carbides and carbonitrides thereof.
7. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 6 , wherein the substrate is free of the non-catalytic material.
8. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 6 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond body comprises a uniform particle size distribution of inter-bonded diamond particles.
9. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 6 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond body and the substrate each comprise a catalytic material, and wherein the non-catalytic material has less than about 3 atomic % solubility in the catalyst material.
10. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 6 , wherein catalytic material from the substrate bonds the polycrystalline diamond body to the substrate.
11. A method of producing a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
assembling a formation cell assembly comprising:
diamond particles positioned within a cup;
a first substrate comprising a catalytic material, the first substrate positioned proximate to the diamond particles; and
pressure transferring medium surrounding the cup and the first substrate;
subjecting the formation cell assembly and its contents to a first high pressure high temperature process to sinter the diamond particles in inter-diamond bonds and to form a polycrystalline diamond composite comprising a polycrystalline diamond body that is bonded to the first substrate, wherein the polycrystalline diamond composite comprises an intermediate-step interface surface positioned proximate to the first substrate and an intermediate-step working surface positioned distally from the first substrate;
removing substantially all of the first support substrate from the polycrystalline diamond body;
leaching at least a portion of accessible catalytic material from the polycrystalline diamond body;
positioning the polycrystalline diamond body such that the intermediate-step working surface is positioned proximate to a second substrate; and
subjecting the polycrystalline diamond body and the second substrate to a second high pressure high temperature process to bond the polycrystalline diamond body to the second substrate along an interface surface wherein the polycrystalline diamond body exhibits a concentration of non-catalytic material that is lower at the working surface than at the interface surface, and wherein the non-catalytic material is selected from the group consisting of lead, bismuth, and alloys, nitrides, carbides, and carbonitrides thereof.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond body is inverted with respect to the second substrate as compared to the first substrate.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein a non-diamond volume fraction of the polycrystalline diamond body is greater at the interface surface than at the working surface.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond body comprises voids between inter-bonded diamond grains, and wherein the voids have larger volumes at the interface surface than at the working surface.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond body comprises voids between inter-bonded diamond grains, and wherein the interface surface exhibits a greater quantity of voids than the working surface.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second substrate is free of the non-catalytic material.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the non-catalytic material is selected from the group consisting of lead, and alloys thereof.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the non-catalytic material is selected from the group consisting of bismuth and alloys thereof.
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the lead is present in an amount of 0.5 vol. % to 0.87 vol. % of the polycrystalline diamond body.
20. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the non-catalytic material is selected from the group consisting of lead and alloys thereof.
21. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the non-catalytic material is selected from the group consisting of bismuth and alloys thereof.
22. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 , wherein the lead is present in an amount of 0.5 vol. % to 0.87 vol. % of the polycrystalline diamond body.