POLYCRYSTALLINE DIAMOND HAVING IMPROVED THERMAL STABILITY

• US 20080230280A1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith International Incorporated (Schlumberger NV)
• Original Assignee: Smith International Incorporated (Schlumberger NV)
• Inventors: Eyre, Ronald K., Keshavan, Madapusi K., Griffo, Anthony, Cariveau, Peter Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,942,219 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/434
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/05 Mixtures of metal powder with non-metallic powder C22C1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 2204/00 End product comprising different layers, coatings or parts of cermet
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 26/00 Alloys containing diamond or cubic or wurtzitic boron nitride, fullerenes or carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/55 with preformed cutting elements
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/5673 having a non planar or non circular cutting face

Abstract

PCD constructions include a PCD body comprising a polycrystalline matrix region, a first region that includes a replacement material positioned remote from a body surface, and a second region that is substantially free of the replacement material and that extends a depth from the body surface. The PCD construction can further include a substrate that is attached to the body. The PCD body is formed by removing a solvent catalyst material used to form the body, replacing the removed solvent catalyst material with a replacement material, and then removing the replacement material from a region of the body to thereby form the second region. The replacement material can be introduced into the PCD body during a HPHT process, and the substrate may or may not be the source of the noncatalyzing material.

Claims

1. A polycrystalline diamond construction comprising:

a plurality of bonded together diamond crystals forming a polycrystalline diamond body, wherein the body includes a surface and comprises;

a first region comprising a noncatalyzing material that is positioned remote from the surface; and

a second region that is substantially free of the noncatalyzing material and that extends into the body a depth from the surface.

2. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 1 wherein the first and second regions occupy interstitial regions between the bonded together diamond grains.

3. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 1 wherein the noncatalyzing material has a melting temperature of less than about 1,200°

C.

4. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 1 wherein the noncatalyzing material is selected from Group IB elements of the Periodic table.

5. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 4 wherein the noncatalyzing material is copper.

6. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 1 wherein the second region extends from the surface to a depth of less than about 0.5 mm.

7. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 1 wherein the surface is selected from the group consisting of a top surface of the body, a side surface of the body, and combinations thereof.

8. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 1 wherein the surface is a working surface, and the first region extends from the second region to a surface of the body other than the working surface.

9. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 1 further comprising a substrate attached to the body, wherein the substrate is positioned adjacent the body first region.

10. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 9 wherein the substrate comprises a cermet material and a binder material, and wherein the binder material is formed from the noncatalyzing material.

11. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 9 wherein the substrate comprises a cermet material and a binder material, and wherein the binder material is a Group VIII element of the Periodic table.

12. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 11 further comprising an intermediate material interposed between the body and the substrate, wherein the intermediate material comprises a Group IB element from the Periodic table.

13. A cutting element attached to a bit for drilling earthen formations, the cutting element being formed from the polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 9.

14. The cutting element as recited in claim 13 wherein the bit comprises a body and a number of legs projecting outwardly therefrom and a number of cones that are rotatably attached to the legs, and wherein the cutting elements are mounted on the cones.

15. The cutting element as recited in claim 13 wherein the bit comprises a body and a number of blades projecting outwardly therefrom, and wherein the cutting elements are mounted on the blades.

16. A polycrystalline diamond construction comprising:

a polycrystalline diamond body comprising a plurality of bonded together diamond crystals forming a matrix phase, and a plurality of interstitial regions interposed between the bonded together diamond crystals, wherein a population of the interstitial regions includes a noncatalyzing material disposed therein that has a melting temperature of less than about 1,200°

C., and wherein the body comprises;

a first region comprising the noncatalyzing material that is positioned within the body a distance remote from a working surface of the body; and

a second region that is substantially free of the noncatalyzing material and that extends into the body a depth from the working surface;

a substrate that is attached to the body, wherein the substrate is attached adjacent the first region.

17. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 16 wherein the noncatalyzing material is selected from Group IB of the Periodic table.

18. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 17 wherein the noncatalyzing material is copper.

19. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 16 wherein the second region extends a depth of less than about 0.5 mm from the working surface.

20. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 19 wherein the second region extends a depth of less than about 0.2 mm from the working surface.

21. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 16 wherein the substrate is a carbide material comprising a binder material that is the same as the noncatalyzing material.

22. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 21 wherein the binder material is positioned adjacent the body, and wherein the substrate comprises a further binder material that is positioned within the substrate remote from the body and that is formed from a material different from the noncatalyzing material.

23. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 22 wherein the further binder material comprises a Group VIII element of the Periodic table.

24. The polycrystalline diamond construction as recited in claim 16 further comprising an intermediate material interposed between the body and the substrate, wherein the intermediate material comprises a noncatalyzing material, and wherein the substrate comprises a carbide material that includes a binder selected from Group VIII of the Periodic Table.

25. A method for making a polycrystalline diamond construction comprising the steps of:

treating a polycrystalline diamond body comprising a plurality of bonded together diamond crystals and a solvent catalyst material to remove the solvent catalyst material therefrom, wherein the solvent catalyst material is disposed within interstitial regions between the bonded together diamond crystals;

replacing the removed solvent catalyst material with a replacement material; and

treating the body comprising the replacement material to remove substantially all of the replacement material from a first region of the body extending a depth from a body surface, and allowing the remaining amount of the replacement material to reside in a second region of the body that is remote from the surface.

26. The method as recited in claim 25 wherein during the step of replacing, the replacement material that is used has a melting temperature of less than about 1,200°

C.

27. The method as recited in claim 25 wherein during the step of replacing, the replacement material that is used is selected from Group IB of the Periodic table.

28. The method as recited in claim 25 wherein during the step of treating the body, the first region extends a depth of less than about 0.5 mm from the surface.

29. The method as recited in claim 25 further comprising the step of attaching a substrate to the body.

30. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein the step of attaching takes place during the step of replacing, and wherein the substrate includes a binder material that is formed from the replacement material, and wherein the substrate is a cermet material.

31. The method as recited in claim 29 wherein the step of attaching takes place after the step of replacing.

32. The method as recited in claim 31 wherein the step of attaching takes place before the step of treating.

33. A bit for drilling earthen formations, the bit including a plurality of cutting elements attached thereto, wherein one or more of the cutting elements comprises a polycrystalline diamond construction comprising:

a polycrystalline diamond body comprising a plurality of bonded together diamond crystals forming a matrix phase, and a plurality of interstitial regions interposed between the bonded together diamond crystals, wherein a population of the interstitial regions includes a noncatalyzing material disposed therein that has a melting temperature of less than about 1,200°

C., and wherein the body comprises;

a first region comprising the noncatalyzing material that is positioned within the body a distance remote from a working surface of the body; and

a second region that is substantially free of the noncatalyzing material and that extends into the body a depth from the working surface;

a substrate that is attached to the body, wherein the substrate is positioned adjacent the first region.

34. A polycrystalline diamond construction comprising:

a plurality of bonded together diamond crystals forming a polycrystalline diamond body, wherein the diamond body is substantially free of a catalyst material that was used to form the body during high pressure/high temperature processing, the body includes a surface and comprises;

a first region comprising a replacement material that is positioned remote from the surface, and disposed within interstitial regions in the first region; and

a second region that is substantially free of the replacement material and that extends into the body a depth from the surface.

35. A bit for drilling earthen formations, the bit including a plurality of cutting elements attached thereto, wherein one or more of the cutting elements comprises a polycrystalline diamond construction comprising:

a polycrystalline diamond body comprising a plurality of bonded together diamond crystals forming a matrix phase, and a plurality of interstitial regions interposed between the bonded together diamond crystals, wherein the body is substantially free of a catalyst material that was used to initially form the body during high pressure/high temperature processing, wherein a population of the interstitial regions includes a replacement material disposed therein, and wherein the body comprises;

a first region comprising the replacement material that is positioned within the body a distance remote from a working surface of the body; and

a second region that is substantially free of the replacement material and that extends into the body a depth from the working surface;

a substrate that is attached to the body, wherein the substrate is positioned adjacent the first region.