Methods of leaching a superabrasive body and apparatuses and systems for the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11293113-B1
Application number	US-201916374745-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 3, 2019
Priority date	Jul 1, 2015
Publication date	Apr 5, 2022
Grant date	Apr 5, 2022

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention relate to methods of removing interstitial constituents from superabrasive bodies using an ionic transfer medium, and systems and apparatuses for the same.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for removing interstitial constituents from a superabrasive body, the apparatus comprising:
an ionic transfer assembly comprising:
a first electrical connection operably coupled to a superabrasive body including a plurality of bonded superabrasive grains and at least one interstitial constituent;
an ionic transfer medium in contact with the superabrasive body, the ionic transfer medium comprising at least one of a solid material or a gel;
an ionic reservoir in ionic communication with the ionic transfer medium and separated from the superabrasive body by the ionic transfer medium; and
a second electrical connection operably coupled to the ionic reservoir.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ionic transfer assembly is configured to remove at least some of the at least one interstitial constituent from the superabrasive body through the ionic transfer medium to the ionic reservoir when a voltage is applied between the first and second electrical connections.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the voltage is applied between the first and second electrical connections via a positive potential applied at the first electrical connection and a negative potential applied at the second electrical connection.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein:
the ionic reservoir includes an acidic solution; and
wherein the voltage is applied between the first and second electrical connections via a negative electrical potential applied to the acidic solution.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the superabrasive body includes one or more of an upper surface, an interfacial surface, a lateral surface extending between the upper surface and the interfacial surface, and a chamfer extending between the upper surface and the lateral surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein:
the superabrasive body includes a polycrystalline diamond table, and the polycrystalline diamond table is bonded to a substrate;
the first electrical connection is with the substrate; and
the polycrystalline diamond table contacts the ionic transfer medium such that the polycrystalline diamond table is in electrical and chemical communication with the ionic transfer medium.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of at least one of the upper surface, the lateral surface, or the chamfer is in contact with the ionic transfer medium.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the ionic transfer assembly is configured to remove at least some of the at least one interstitial constituent from a portion of the polycrystalline diamond table adjacent to at least one of the upper surface, the chamfer, or the lateral surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ionic transfer medium includes a gel.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ionic transfer medium includes at least one of a porous paper, a sponge, a porous filter, or a membrane.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the membrane includes one or more of an ion selective membrane, a partially porous membrane, or a size selective membrane.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ionic transfer medium includes a solid polymer electrode or a cation exchange resin.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the ionic transfer medium includes a supercritical fluid and a solid polymer electrode material.

14. An apparatus for removing interstitial constituents from a polycrystalline diamond compact, the apparatus comprising:
an ionic transfer assembly comprising:
at least one polycrystalline diamond compact including:
a polycrystalline diamond table having a plurality of bonded diamond grains with at least one interstitial constituent disposed therebetween, an upper surface, an interfacial surface, and a lateral surface extending between the upper surface and the interfacial surface; and
a substrate having a substrate interfacial surface bonded to the interfacial surface of the polycrystalline diamond table;

a first electrical connection operably coupled to the substrate;
an ionic transfer medium in contact with the polycrystalline diamond table, the ionic transfer medium comprising at least one of a solid material or a gel;
an ionic reservoir in contact with the ionic transfer medium, the ionic transfer medium positioned between the polycrystalline diamond table and the ionic reservoir; and
a second electrical connection operably coupled to the ionic reservoir.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the ionic transfer assembly is configured to remove at least some of the at least one interstitial constituent from the at least one polycrystalline diamond compact through the ionic transfer medium to the ionic reservoir when a voltage is applied between the first and second electrical connections.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the voltage is applied between the first and second electrical connections via a positive electrical potential applied at the first electrical connection and a negative electrical potential applied at the second electrical connection.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein:
the ionic reservoir includes an acidic solution; and
wherein the voltage is applied between the first and second electrical connections via a negative electrical potential applied to the acidic solution.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the ionic transfer medium includes a gel, a paper, a sponge, a filter, a membrane, a cation exchange resin, or a solid polymer electrode.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the ionic transfer medium includes a solid polymer electrode or a cation exchange resin.

20. An apparatus for removing interstitial constituents from a superabrasive body, the apparatus comprising:
an ionic transfer assembly configured to hold a superabrasive body including a plurality of bonded superabrasive grains and at least one interstitial constituent, the ionic transfer assembly comprising:
a first electrical connection configured to be operably coupled to the superabrasive body;
an ionic transfer medium positioned to contact the superabrasive body, the ionic transfer medium comprising at least one of a solid material or a gel;
an ionic reservoir in ionic communication with the ionic transfer medium and positioned to be separated from the superabrasive body by the ionic transfer medium; and
a second electrical connection operably coupled to the ionic reservoir.

Assignees

• Us Synthetic Corp

Inventors

• Heaton Daren Nathaniel

Classifications

• C25F1/00 Primary

  Electrolytic cleaning, degreasing, pickling or descaling · CPC title