Methods of forming and treating polycrystalline diamond cutting elements, cutting elements so formed and drill bits equipped

摘要

A polycrystalline diamond compact comprising a diamond table is formed in a high-pressure, high-temperature process using a catalyst, the catalyst being substantially removed from the entirety of the diamond table, and the diamond table attached to a supporting substrate in a subsequent high-pressure, high-temperature process using a binder material differing at least in part from a material of the catalyst. The binder material is permitted to penetrate substantially completely throughout the diamond table from an interface with the substrate to and including a cutting surface, and the binder material is selectively removed from a region or regions of the diamond table by a conventional technique (e.g., acid leaching). Cutting elements so formed and drill bits equipped with such cutting elements are also disclosed.

主权项

1. A method of forming a polycrystalline diamond element, the method comprising:
forming a polycrystalline diamond compact from diamond particles at a temperature and a pressure sufficient to form diamond-to-diamond bonds in the presence of a catalyst comprising one of a Group VIII element or an alloy thereof; substantially removing the catalyst from the polycrystalline diamond compact; and introducing only a single material comprising a catalytic binder material differing at least in part from a material of the catalyst and comprising one of a Group VIII element different from the Group VIII element or an alloy thereof or an alloy of the different Group VIII element into interstitial voids between diamond particles of the polycrystalline diamond compact having the catalyst substantially removed therefrom at a temperature and a pressure sufficient to maintain stability of diamond-to-diamond bonds in the polycrystalline diamond compact to substantially fill at least a portion of the polycrystalline diamond compact with the binder material.