| 摘要 |
Broadly, the present invention is directed to a method for making a thermally stable, dense, electrically conductive diamond compact. The method comprises infiltrating a mass of diamond crystals with a silicon infiltrant in the presence of boron under conditions comprising a temperature of not substantially above 1200 DEG C and a pressure of not substantially above 45 Kbars. The resulting compact contains diamond-to-diamond bonding. The boron can be provided in the form of boron-doped diamond. Alternatively, a boron-silicon alloy can be used for infiltrating boron-doped or undoped diamond. Further, boron can be added as elemental boron or B<8>C with silicon for infiltration. Alternatively, boron metal catalyst plus silicon infiltration can be used for boron-doped or undoped diamond. Combinations of these techniques also can be used. In the HP/HT process, the silicon infiltrates the diamond powder mass forming a network composed of silicon carbide by reaction of the silicon with diamond-carbon. The reaction leaves a sintered body composed of boron-doped diamond or boron compounds with diamond or a network of silicon carbide and silicon. |
