Superhard constructions and methods of making same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016016291-A1
Application number	US-201314648984-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 2, 2013
Priority date	Dec 4, 2012
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of forming a super hard PCD construction comprises forming an aggregated mass comprising a catalyst/solvent material for diamond, and one or more of W, Mo, Cr, V, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, Sc, and/or Y, forming a pre-sinter assembly comprising the aggregated mass and a plurality of diamond grains and treating the pre-sinter assembly at UHPT to form a PCD construction. Residual catalyst/solvent and one or more of W, Mo, Cr, V, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, Sc, and/or Y, in non-carbide form at least partially fill a plurality of interstitial regions in the PCD. There is also disclosed a superhard PCD construction comprising a body of PCD material formed of a mass of diamond grains and a non-superhard phase at least partially filling a plurality of interstitial regions, wherein the non-superhard phase comprises one or more of W, Mo, Cr, V, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, Sc, and/or Y, in the non-carbide form.

First claim

1 . A method of forming a super hard polycrystalline diamond construction comprising:
forming an aggregated mass comprising a catalyst/solvent material for diamond, and one or more of W, Mo, Cr, V, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, Sc, and/or Y; forming a pre-sinter assembly comprising the aggregated mass and a plurality of diamond grains; and treating the pre-sinter assembly in the presence of the catalyst/solvent material for the diamond grains at an super high pressure of around 5.5 GPa or greater and a temperature at which the diamond material is more thermodynamically stable than graphite to sinter together the diamond grains to form a polycrystalline diamond construction, the diamond grains exhibiting inter-granular bonding and defining a plurality of interstitial regions therebetween, residual catalyst/solvent and one or more of W, Mo, Cr, V, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, Sc, and/or Y, in non-carbide form at least partially filling a plurality of the interstitial regions.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming a pre-sinter assembly comprises providing a mass of diamond grains having a first fraction having a first average size and a second fraction having a second average size, the first fraction having an average grain size ranging from about 10 to 60 microns, and the second fraction having an average grain size less than the size of the first fraction.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of forming a pre-sinter assembly comprises providing a mass of grains of superhard material comprising three or more grain size modes to form a multimodal mass of grains comprising a blend of grain sizes having associated average grain sizes.

4 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of treating the pre-sinter assembly comprises subjecting the pre-sinter assembly to a pressure of greater than:
around 6 GPa, or around 6.8 GPa, or around 7 GPa, or around 8 GPa, or around 10 GPa, or around 13 GPa.

5 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of forming an aggregated mass comprises forming the mass to comprise up to around 30 atomic % of one or more of W, Mo, Cr, V, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, Sc, and/or Y.

6 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of forming an aggregated mass comprises forming the mass to comprise up to around 20 wt % of non-diamond phase in the sintered construction.

7 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-sinter assembly further comprises a body of cemented carbide material to form a substrate bonded to the body of PCD material during sintering, the body of cemented carbide material being in powder form or pre-sintered solid form.

8 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of forming an aggregated mass comprises mixing a plurality of natural and/or synthetic diamond grains.

9 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of sintering comprises sintering at a temperature of between around 1300 to around 1800 degrees C.

10 . A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of treating the pre-sinter assembly comprises subjecting the pre-sinter assembly to a temperature of around 1440 deg C. for around 5 minutes.

11 . A method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising treating the polycrystalline diamond construction to remove catalyst material from a plurality of the interstitial regions between inter-bonded diamond grains after sintering.

12 . A superhard polycrystalline diamond construction comprising a body of polycrystalline diamond material formed of:
a mass of diamond grains exhibiting inter-granular bonding and defining a plurality of interstitial regions therebetween, a non-superhard phase at least partially filling a plurality of the interstitial regions; wherein the non-superhard phase comprises one or more of W, Mo, Cr, V, Ti, Zr, Nb, Hf, Ta, Sc, and/or Y, in the non-carbide form.

13 . The superhard polycrystalline diamond construction of claim 12 , wherein the non-superhard phase further comprises cobalt.

14 . The superhard polycrystalline diamond construction of claim 12 , wherein the non-superhard phase further comprises nickel.

15 . The superhard polycrystalline diamond construction of claim 12 , further comprising a substrate bonded to the body of polycrystalline diamond material along an interface.

16 . The superhard polycrystalline diamond construction of claim 15 , wherein the substrate is formed of cemented carbide material.

17 . A tool comprising the superhard polycrystalline diamond construction according to claim 12 , the tool being for any one or more of cutting, milling, grinding, drilling, earth boring, or rock drilling.

18 . A tool according to claim 17 , wherein the tool comprises a drill bit for earth boring or rock drilling or a rotary fixed-cutter bit for use in oil and gas drilling.

19 . (canceled)

20 . A tool according to claim 17 , wherein the tool is a rolling cone drill bit, a hole opening tool, an expandable tool, a reamer or other earth boring tools.

21 . A drill bit or a cutter or a component therefor comprising the superhard polycrystalline construction according to claim 12 .

22 - 23 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Element Six Abrasives Sa

Inventors

• Westraadt Johan Ewald

Classifications

• B24D99/005

  Segments of abrasive wheels · CPC title

• E21B10/50

  the bit being of roller type · CPC title

• C04B35/52 Primary

  based on carbon, e.g. graphite · CPC title

• B24D3/10 Primary

  for porous or cellular structure, e.g. for use with diamonds as abrasives · CPC title

• C04B2235/427

  Diamond · CPC title