POLYCRYSTALLINE DIAMOND COMPACTS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE TRANSITION LAYER AND METHODS FOR STRESS MANAGEMENT IN POLYCRSYSTALLINE DIAMOND COMPACTS

• US 20120261197A1
• Filed: 04/15/2011
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: US Synthetic Corporation (ChampionX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: US Synthetic Corporation (ChampionX Corporation)
• Inventors: Miess, David P., Bertagnolli, Kenneth E., Crockett, Damon B., Cooper, Arnold D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,727,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 175/432
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2203/063 Carbides
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2203/0655 Diamond
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 3/062 characterised by the composition of the materials to be processed
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2005/001 Cutting tools, earth boring or grinding tool other than table ware
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 18/0009 using moulds or presses
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 3/007 the constituent being used as bonding agent between different parts of an abrasive tool
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 18/00 Layered products essentially comprising ceramics, e.g. refractory products
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3839 Refractory metal carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3847 Tungsten carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/386 Boron nitrides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/405 Iron group metals
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/427 Diamond
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/5436 micrometer sized, i.e. from 1 to 100 micron
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/96 Properties of ceramic products, e.g. mechanical properties such as strength, toughness, wear resistance
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/9607 Thermal properties, e.g. thermal expansion coefficient
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/08 Non-oxidic interlayers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/083 Carbide interlayers, e.g. silicon carbide interlayers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/086 Carbon interlayers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/12 Metallic interlayers
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/363 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/401 : Cermets
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/58 : Forming a gradient in composition or in properties across the laminate or the joined articles
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2237/61 : Joining two substrates of which at least one is porous by infiltrating the porous substrate with a liquid, such as a molten metal, causing bonding of the two substrates, e.g. joining two porous carbon substrates by infiltrating with molten silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/528 : obtained from carbonaceous particles with or without other non-organic components
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/5607 : based on refractory metal carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/5626 : based on tungsten carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/5831 : based on cubic boron nitrides or Wurtzitic boron nitrides, including crystal structure transformation of powder
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/645 : Pressure sintering
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 37/006 : consisting of metals or metal salts
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 37/026 : consisting of metals or metal salts
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 26/00 : Alloys containing diamond or cubic or wurtzitic boron nitride, fullerenes or carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/567 : with preformed cutting elements mounted on a distinct support, e.g. polycrystalline inserts
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/5735 : Interface between the substrate and the cutting element
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/02 : for radial load only
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 17/04 : for axial load only
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2206/04 : Diamond like carbon [DLC]
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2352/00 : Apparatus for drilling in general E21
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/043 : Sliding surface consisting mainly of ceramics, cermets or hard carbon, e.g. diamond like carbon [DLC]
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 33/26 : made from wire coils; made from a number of discs, rings, rods, or other members

Abstract

Embodiments relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) that are less susceptible to liquid metal embrittlement damage due to the use of at least one transition layer between a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) layer and a substrate. In an embodiment, a PDC includes a PCD layer, a cemented carbide substrate, and at least one transition layer bonded to the substrate and the PCD layer. The at least one transition layer is formulated with a coefficient of thermal expansion (“CTE”) that is less than a CTE of the substrate and greater than a CTE of the PCD layer. At least a portion of the PCD layer includes diamond grains defining interstitial regions and a metal-solvent catalyst occupying at least a portion of the interstitial regions. The diamond grains and the catalyst collectively exhibit a coercivity of about 115 Oersteds or more and a specific magnetic saturation of about 15 Gauss·cm³/grams or less.

Claims

1. A polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:

at least one polycrystalline diamond layer, at least a portion of the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer including;

a plurality of diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions;

a metal-solvent catalyst occupying at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions;

wherein the plurality of diamond grains and the metal-solvent catalyst collectively exhibit a coercivity of about 115 Oersteds (“

Oe”

) or more; and

wherein the plurality of diamond grains and the metal-solvent catalyst collectively exhibit a specific magnetic saturation of about 15 Gauss·

cm³/grams (“

G·

cm³/g”

) or less;

a cemented carbide substrate; and

at least one transition layer disposed between and bonded to the cemented carbide substrate and the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer, the at least one transition layer exhibiting a coefficient of thermal expansion (“

CTE”

) that is less than a CTE of the cemented carbide substrate and greater than a CTE of the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer.

2. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the CTE of the at least one transition layer is about 2 to about 5 times the CTE of the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer.

3. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the at least one transition layer includes a plurality of diamond grains and at least one additive cemented together with a binder.

4. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 3 wherein the at least one additive comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of tungsten carbide, chromium carbide, and cubic boron nitride.

5. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 3 wherein the at least one additive comprises about 20 volume % to about 80 volume % of the at least one transition layer.

6. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 3 wherein the at least one additive comprises about 3 volume % to about 10 volume % of the at least one transition layer.

7. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 5 wherein the at least one transition layer comprises a 20 volume % to about 80 volume % diamond grains and about 1 weight % to about 7 weight % metal-solvent catalyst.

8. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 3 wherein the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer is substantially free of the at least one additive.

9. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 3 wherein at least some of the diamond grains of the at least one transition layer exhibit diamond-to-diamond bonding.

10. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 3 wherein the diamond grains of the at least one transition layer exhibit substantially no diamond-to-diamond bonding.

11. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the cemented-carbide substrate comprises cobalt-cemented tungsten carbide.

12. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the coercivity of the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer is about 115 Oe to about 250 Oe.

13. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the specific magnetic saturation of the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer is about 5 G·

cm³/g to about 15 G·

cm³/g.

14. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the plurality of diamond grains and the metal-solvent catalyst of the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer collectively exhibit a specific permeability less than about 0.10 G·

cm³/Oe·

g.

15. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the plurality of diamond grains and the metal-solvent catalyst of the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer collectively exhibit a specific permeability of about 0.060 G·

cm³/Oe·

g to about 0.090 G·

cm³/Oe·

g.

16. The polycrystalline diamond compact of claim 1 wherein the coercivity of the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer is about 130 Oe to about 160 Oe, and the specific magnetic saturation of the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer is about 10 G·

cm³/g to about 15 G·

cm³/g.

17. A method for manufacturing a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:

disposing at least one layer that includes a plurality of diamond grains and at least one additive between a layer of diamond grains and a cemented carbide substrate in a pressure transmitting medium to form a cell assembly; and

subjecting the cell assembly to a high-temperature/high-pressure (“

HPHT”

) process of at least 1000°

C. and a pressure of at least 7.5 GPa in the pressure transmitting medium to form a polycrystalline diamond compact that includes at least one polycrystalline diamond layer, a cemented carbide substrate, and at least one transition layer disposed between the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer and the cemented carbide substrate,

wherein the at least one transition layer exhibits a coefficient of thermal expansion (“

CTE”

) that is less than a CTE of the cemented carbide substrate and greater than a CTE of the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising annealing the polycrystalline compact after the HPHT process at a temperature in a range of about 650°

C. to about 875°

C. and a pressure of about 2 GPa to about 10 GPa.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising annealing the polycrystalline compact after the HPHT process at a temperature of at least 650°

C. for about 5 to about 30 minutes under atmospheric pressure or less.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one additive comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of tungsten carbide, chromium carbide, and cubic boron nitride.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one additive comprises about 25 volume % to about 50 volume % of the transition layer.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer is substantially free of the additive.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein at least some of the diamond grains of the at least one transition layer exhibit diamond-to-diamond bonding.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein the diamond grains of the at least one transition layer exhibit substantially no diamond-to-diamond bonding.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer exhibits a coercivity of about 115 Oersteds (“

Oe”

) or more and a specific magnetic saturation of about 15 Gauss·

cm³/grams (“

G·

cm3/g”

) or less.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer exhibits a coercivity of about 130 Oe to about 160 Oe and a specific magnetic saturation of about 10 G·

cm³/g to about 15 G·

cm³/g.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer exhibits a specific permeability less than about 0.10 G·

cm³/Oe·

g.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer exhibits a specific permeability of about 0.060 G·

cm³/Oe·

g to about 0.090 G·

cm³/Oe·

g.

29. A rotary drill bit, comprising:

a bit body including a leading end structure configured to facilitate drilling a subterranean formation; and

a plurality of cutting elements mounted to the blades, at least one of the cutting elements including a polycrystalline diamond compact including;

at least one polycrystalline diamond layer, at least a portion of the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer including;

a plurality of diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions;

a metal-solvent catalyst occupying at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions;

wherein the plurality of diamond grains and the metal-solvent catalyst collectively exhibit a coercivity of about 115 Oersteds or more; and

wherein the plurality of diamond grains and the metal-solvent catalyst collectively exhibit a specific magnetic saturation of about 15 Gauss·

cm³/grams or less;

a cemented carbide substrate; and

at least one transition layer disposed between and bonded to cemented carbide substrate and the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer, the at least one transition layer exhibiting a coefficient of thermal expansion that is less than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the substrate and greater than a coefficient of thermal expansion of the at least one polycrystalline diamond layer.