Bonding a diamond compact to a cemented carbide substrate

摘要

A method of bonding a diamond compact comprising a polycrystalline mass of diamond and a bonding phase which contains free-silicon to a substrate is provided. The method includes the steps of contacting a surface of the compact with carbon or nitrogen or a mixture thereof under conditions suitable to cause free-silicon in the surface to react with the carbon and/or nitrogen and thereafter bonding that surface to the substrate, preferably by means of a braze. In a preferred form of the invention, the surface which is bonded to the substrate is acid cleaned after contact of that surface with carbon or nitrogen or a mixture thereof.