In-Situ Boron Doped PDC Element

• US 20120152622A1
• Filed: 12/15/2010
• Published: 06/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Oilwell DHT, LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: National Oilwell DHT, LP (NOV, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sue, Jiinjen Albert, Sreshta, Harold
• Granted Patent: US 8,997,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/428
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 18/0009 using moulds or presses
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 3/06 metallic or mixture of metals with ceramic materials, e.g. hard metals, "cermets", cements
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/56 Button-type inserts E21B10/52 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/567 with preformed cutting elements mounted on a distinct support, e.g. polycrystalline inserts
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/573 characterised by support details, e.g. the substrate construction or the interface between the substrate and the cutting element

Abstract

A polycrystalline diamond compact formed in an in-situ boron-doped process. The in-situ boron-doped process includes consolidating a mixture of diamond crystals and boron-containing alloy via liquid diffusion of boron into diamond crystals at a pressure greater than 5 Gpa and at a temperature greater than the melting temperature of the boron-containing alloy, typically less than about 1450° C.

Claims

1. A polycrystalline diamond compact comprising a layer of polycrystalline diamond integrally formed in a high-temperature, high-pressure in-situ boron-doped process wherein the in-situ boron-doped polycrystalline diamond compact is produced by consolidating a generally uniform mixture of diamond crystals and boron-containing alloy via liquid diffusion of boron into diamond crystals at a pressure between about 5 Gpa and about 7 Gpa and at a temperature greater then 950°

C. and less than 1450°

C.

2. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the source of the polycrystalline diamond material is synthetic diamond and wherein the boron containing alloy comprises Ni, Co and Fe-base alloys having a melting temperature less than about 1200°

C.

3. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 2 wherein the boron containing alloy comprises Ni, Co and Fe-base alloys have a minimum melting temperature of 1000°

C.

4. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 3 wherein the boron containing alloy and the Ni, Co and Fe-base alloys mixtures has a melting temperature below about 1100°

C. and wherein the boron containing alloy comprises Ni, Co and Fe-base alloys.

5. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 4 wherein the melting temperature is between is greater than 1000°

C. and less than 1200°

C.

6. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein synthetic diamond and boron-doped diamond crystals are manufactured by chemical vapor deposition and HP/HT processes, and further comprising natural diamonds comprise a source material.

7. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the source of the polycrystalline diamond material is synthetic diamond and wherein the boron containing alloy comprises Ni, Co and Fe-base alloys having a melting temperature of less than about 1200°

C.

8. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 6 wherein the boron containing alloy comprises Ni, Co and Fe-base alloys having a melting temperature below about 1200°

C.

9. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 8 wherein the melting temperature of the Ni, Co and Fe-base alloys is below about 1200°

C.

10. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 2 wherein the polycrystalline diamond material has a particle size between 8 μ

m and 10 μ

m.

11. An earth boring drill bit comprising a polycrystalline diamond cutting element with a layer of polycrystalline diamond integrally formed in a high-temperature, high-pressure in-situ boron-doped process wherein the in-situ boron-doped polycrystalline diamond compact is produced by consolidating a generally uniform mixture of diamond crystals and boron-containing alloy via liquid diffusion of boron into diamond crystals at a pressure greater than 5 Gpa and less than 7 Gpa and at a temperature greater then 950°

C. and less than 1450°

C.

12. A method for making an in-situ boron-doped polycrystalline diamond compact comprising a layer of polycrystalline diamond integrally formed in a high-temperature, high-pressure in-situ boron-doped process wherein the in-situ boron-doped polycrystalline diamond compact is produced by consolidating a generally uniform mixture of diamond crystals and boron-containing alloy via liquid diffusion of boron into diamond crystals at a pressure greater than 5 Gpa and less than 7 Gpa and at a temperature greater then 950°

C. and less than 1195°

C.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein synthetic diamond and boron-doped diamond crystals manufactured by chemical vapor deposition and HP/HT processes, and natural diamonds are used as a source material.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the boron containing alloy are Ni-, Co-, and Fe-base alloys, or mixtures thereof, having melting temperatures below 1200°

C. wherein the HP/HT processes that converts diamond from graphite has a pressure of greater than 5.5 Gpa.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the melting temperature of the boron containing alloy is between about 960°

C. to 1200°

C.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the boron-containing alloy suppresses sp2 carbon formation, thereby improving the crystallinity of the in-situ boron-doped polycrystalline diamond compact PDC.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the boron-containing alloy is enabled by the in-situ boron doped HP/HT to effectively consolidate a polycrystalline diamond mass with diamond crystals sizes less than 10 μ

m.

18. A polycrystalline diamond cutting element comprising a preform cutting element in a fixed cutter rotary drill bit, the preform cutting element having a body in the form of a circular tablet with a front facing table of polycrystalline diamond that is integrally formed with a substrate of less hard material and bonded on a generally cylindrical carrier, the preformed cutting element formed in a high-temperature, high-pressure in-situ boron-doped process wherein the in-situ boron-doped formed polycrystalline diamond compact is produced by consolidating a generally uniform mixture of diamond crystals and boron-containing alloy via liquid diffusion of boron into diamond crystals at a pressure between about 5 Gpa and about 7 Gpa and at a temperature greater then 950°

C. and less than 1450°

C.

19. The polycrystalline diamond cutting element of claim 18 wherein the in-situ boron doped PDC has relatively lower residual compressive stress compared to un-doped PDC that was manufactured under the same HP/HT process parameters.

20. The polycrystalline diamond cutting element of claim 18 wherein the in-situ boron doped polycrystalline diamond cutting element is located on the body of the fixed cutter rotary drill bit adapted for casing milling and formation drilling that such that it is the primarily cutting element for drilling through steel casing.

21. The polycrystalline diamond cutting element of claim 18 wherein the in-situ boron doped polycrystalline diamond cutting element is fixed upon the body of the fixed cutter rotary drill bit adapted for geothermal drilling.