Polycrystalline diamond material with high toughness and high wear resistance
A cutting element that includes a substrate; and an outer layer of polycrystalline diamond material disposed upon the outermost end of the cutting element, wherein the polycrystalline diamond material: a plurality of interconnected diamond particles; and a plurality of interstitial regions disposed among the bonded diamond particles, wherein the plurality of interstitial regions contain a plurality of metal carbide phases and a plurality of metal binder phases together forming a plurality of metallic phases, wherein the plurality of metal carbide phases are formed from a plurality of metal carbide particles; wherein the plurality of interconnected diamond particles form at least about 60 to at most about 80% by weight of the polycrystalline diamond material; and wherein the plurality of metal carbide phases represent at least 50% by weight of the plurality of metallic phases is disclosed.
1. A cutting element, comprising:
a substrate; and
an outer layer of polycrystalline diamond material disposed upon the outermost end of the cutting element, wherein the polycrystalline diamond material comprises:
a plurality of interconnected diamond particles; and
a plurality of interstitial regions disposed among the bonded diamond particles, wherein the plurality of interstitial regions contain a plurality of metal carbide phases and a plurality of metal binder phases together forming a plurality of metallic phases, wherein the plurality of metal carbide phases are formed from a plurality of metal carbide particles;
wherein the plurality of interconnected diamond particles form at least about 60 to at most about 80% by weight of the polycrystalline diamond material; and
wherein the plurality of metal carbide phases represent at least 50% by weight of the plurality of metallic phases.
2. The cutting element of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interconnected diamond particles form at least about 60 to at most about 68% by weight of the polycrystalline diamond material.
3. The cutting element of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of interconnected diamond particles form at least about 68 to at most about 72% by weight of the polycrystalline diamond material.
4. The cutting element of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of metal carbide phases represent at least 55% by weight of the plurality of metallic phases.
5. The cutting element of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of metal carbide phases represent at least 60% by weight of the plurality of metallic phases.
6. The cutting element of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of metal binder phases represent at least 12% by weight of the plurality of metallic phases.
7. The cutting element of claim 1 , wherein the average size of the diamond particles is greater than the average size of the metal carbide phases.
8. The cutting element of claim 1 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond material has a hardness of at least 3000 HV.
9. The cutting element of claim 1 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond material has a hardness of at least 3500 HV.
10. The cutting element of claim 1 , wherein an average distance between the bonded diamond particles is less than an average particle size of the diamond particles.
11. The cutting element of claim 1 , further comprising at least one transition layer disposed between the substrate and the outer layer, wherein the at least one transition layer comprises diamond particles, metal carbide, and a metal binder.
12. The cutting element of claim 11 , wherein the at least one transition layer has a diamond content less than a diamond content of the outer layer.
13. The cutting element of claim 11 , wherein the at least one transition layer has a metal carbide content greater than a metal carbide content of the outer layer.
14. A cutting element, comprising:
a substrate; and
an outer layer of polycrystalline diamond material disposed upon the outermost end of the cutting element, wherein the polycrystalline diamond material:
a plurality of interconnected diamond particles; and
a plurality of interstitial regions disposed among the bonded diamond particles, wherein the plurality of interstitial regions contain a plurality of metal carbide phases and a plurality of metal binder phases together forming a plurality of metallic phases, wherein the plurality of metal carbide phases are formed from a plurality of metal carbide particles;
wherein the plurality of interconnected diamond particles form at least about 70% by weight of the polycrystalline diamond material; and
wherein the plurality of metal carbide phases represent at least 50% by weight of the plurality of metallic phases.
15. The cutting element of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of metal carbide phases represent at least 55% by weight of the plurality of metallic phases.
16. The cutting element of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of metal carbide phases represent at least 60% by weight of the plurality of metallic phases.
17. The cutting element of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of metal binder phases represent at least 25% by weight of the plurality of metallic phases.
18. The cutting element of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of interconnected diamond particles form at least about 75% by weight of the polycrystalline diamond material.
19. The cutting element of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of interconnected diamond particles form no more than about 85% by weight of the polycrystalline diamond material.
20. The cutting element of claim 14 , further comprising at least one transition layer disposed between the substrate and the outer layer, wherein the at least one transition layer comprises diamond particles, metal carbide, and a metal binder.
21. The cutting element of claim 20 , wherein the at least one transition layer has a diamond content less than a diamond content of the outer layer.
22. The cutting element of claim 20 , wherein the at least one transition layer has a metal carbide content greater than a metal carbide content of the outer layer.