Cutting elements including polycrystalline diamond compacts for earth-boring tools

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9849561-B2
Application number	US-201414466073-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 22, 2014
Priority date	Apr 28, 2010
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

Methods of forming a polycrystalline diamond compact for use in an earth-boring tool include forming a body of polycrystalline diamond material including a first material disposed in interstitial spaces between inter-bonded diamond crystals in the body, removing the first material from interstitial spaces in a portion of the body, selecting a second material promoting a higher rate of degradation of the polycrystalline diamond compact than the first material under similar elevated temperature conditions and providing the second material in interstitial spaces in the portion of the body. Methods of drilling include engaging at least one cutter with a formation and wearing a second region of polycrystalline diamond material comprising a second material faster than the first region of polycrystalline diamond material comprising a first material. Polycrystalline diamond compacts and earth-boring tools including such compacts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of forming a polycrystalline diamond compact cutting element for an earth-boring tool, comprising:
forming a diamond table comprising a polycrystalline diamond material and a first catalyst material disposed in interstitial spaces between inter-bonded diamond crystals of the polycrystalline diamond material;
at least substantially removing the first catalyst material from the interstitial spaces in the polycrystalline diamond material in at least a portion of the diamond table, the at least a portion of the diamond table including a peripheral portion of the diamond table extending laterally inwardly from a sidewall thereof and longitudinally spaced from a cutting face thereof; and
introducing a second material formulated to promote a higher rate of degradation of the diamond material responsive to exposure to an elevated temperature than a rate of degradation of the diamond material having the first catalyst material at least substantially removed from the interstitial spaces under a substantially equivalent elevated temperature into the interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond crystals only in at least a segment of the peripheral portion of the diamond table adjacent the sidewall and longitudinally spaced from the cutting face.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least substantially removing the first catalyst material from the interstitial spaces in the polycrystalline diamond material comprises leaching the first catalyst material from the interstitial spaces in the polycrystalline diamond material.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein introducing a second material to promote a higher rate of degradation of the inter-bonded diamond crystals responsive to exposure to an elevated temperature than a rate of degradation of the diamond material having the first catalyst material at least substantially removed from the interstitial spaces comprises introducing at least one of cobalt, nickel, or iron, or a cobalt, nickel or iron alloy.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least a segment of the peripheral portion of the diamond table adjacent the sidewall extends annularly along an entire periphery of the diamond table.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least a segment of the diamond table extends radially inward from a sidewall of the diamond table a distance between about 50 microns or more and about 400 microns or less.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein introducing a second material formulated to promote a higher rate of degradation of the diamond material responsive to exposure to an elevated temperature than a rate of degradation of the diamond material having the first catalyst material at least substantially removed from the interstitial spaces under a substantially equivalent elevated temperature comprises introducing a second material formulated to promote a higher rate of degradation of the diamond material responsive to exposure to an elevated temperature than a rate of degradation of the inter-bonded diamond material having the first catalyst material disposed in interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond crystals thereof under a substantially equivalent elevated temperature.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein introducing the second material into the interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond crystals only in the at least a segment of the diamond table comprises:
masking the cutting face of the diamond table and a portion of the sidewall, while leaving exposed another portion of the sidewall; and
introducing the second material into the interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond crystals through the exposed another portion of the sidewall.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein introducing the second material into the interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond crystals through the exposed another portion of the sidewall comprises depositing the second material into the sidewall of the diamond table using one or more of a physical vapor deposition process (PVD), a chemical vapor deposition process (CVD), and a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition process (PECVD).

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein introducing the second material into the interstitial spaces between the inter-bonded diamond crystals through the exposed another portion of the sidewall comprises:
placing the second material in contact with the exposed another portion of the sidewall; and
subjecting the diamond table and the second material in contact with the exposed another portion of the sidewall to a high temperature/high pressure (HTHP) process to cause the second material to infiltrate the diamond table through the sidewall.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least substantially removing the first catalyst material from the interstitial spaces in the polycrystalline diamond material in at least a portion of the diamond table comprises at least substantially removing the first catalyst material from the interstitial spaces in the polycrystalline diamond material only in an annular region adjacent the sidewall of the diamond table.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising removing the first catalyst material a depth into the diamond table from the cutting face.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first catalyst material comprises cobalt.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second material comprises iron.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first catalyst material and the second material each comprise a catalyst, and introducing the second material comprises introducing a material comprising a stronger catalyst than the first catalyst material.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least a segment of the diamond table is configured to wear faster than the at least a segment of the peripheral portion of the diamond table when the diamond table is exposed to friction-induced heating responsive to contact of the diamond table with a subterranean formation during an earth-boring operation.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least a segment of the diamond table is positioned adjacent the sidewall of the diamond table to stimulate formation of a recess in the diamond table sidewall adjacent the at least a segment of the diamond table by degradation of the diamond material when the diamond table proximate the at least a segment is exposed to the friction-induced heating during an earth-boring operation.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least substantially removing the first catalyst material from the interstitial spaces in the polycrystalline diamond material in at least a portion of the diamond table comprises at least substantially removing the first catalyst material from a cutting face of the diamond table to an opposing end surface of the diamond table adjacent a substrate.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least substantially removing the first catalyst material from the interstitial spaces in the polycrystalline diamond material in at least a portion of the diamond table comprises at least substantially removing the first catalyst material a depth into the diamond table from the cutting face of the diamond table and a depth into the diamond table from a portion of the sidewall.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein at least substantially removing the first catalyst material from the interstitial spaces in the polycrystalline diamond material in at least a portion of the diamond table comprises leaving another portion of the diamond table comprising the polycrystalline diamond material with the first catalyst material disposed in

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Inc
• Element Six Ltd

Inventors

• Digiovanni Anthony A
• Goudemond Iain P

Classifications

• E21B10/567

  with preformed cutting elements mounted on a distinct support, e.g. polycrystalline inserts · CPC title

• E21B10/006

  providing a cutting edge which is self-renewable during drilling · CPC title

• B24D18/0027

  by impregnation · CPC title

• C22C26/00

  Alloys containing diamond {or cubic or wurtzitic boron nitride, fullerenes or carbon nanotubes} · CPC title

• B24D3/10 Primary

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