Detection of one or more interstitial constituents in a polycrystalline diamond element using radiation
First Claim
1. A method of non-destructively testing a polycrystalline diamond element, the method comprising:
- providing the polycrystalline diamond element including a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions including one or more interstitial constituents therein;
exposing the polycrystalline diamond element to radiation from a radiation source;
receiving a portion of the radiation from the polycrystalline diamond element; and
detecting at least one Group VIII metal and at least one chemical compound that does not include a Group VIII metal in the polycrystalline diamond element at least partially based on the portion of the radiation received.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an embodiment, a method of non-destructively testing a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) element includes providing a PCD element including a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions including one or more interstitial constituents disposed therein. The method further includes exposing the PCD element to neutron radiation from a neutron radiation source, receiving a portion of the neutron radiation that passes through the PCD element, and determining at least one characteristic of the PCD element at least partially based on the portion of the neutron radiation received. For example, the at least one characteristic may be the presence and distribution of metal-solvent catalyst, residual metal-solvent catalyst, an infiltrant, residual infiltrant, or other interstitial constituents within a PCD element.
131 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of non-destructively testing a polycrystalline diamond element, the method comprising:
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providing the polycrystalline diamond element including a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions including one or more interstitial constituents therein; exposing the polycrystalline diamond element to radiation from a radiation source; receiving a portion of the radiation from the polycrystalline diamond element; and detecting at least one Group VIII metal and at least one chemical compound that does not include a Group VIII metal in the polycrystalline diamond element at least partially based on the portion of the radiation received. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of non-destructively testing a polycrystalline diamond element, the method comprising:
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providing an at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond element including a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions including one or more interstitial constituents disposed therein; exposing the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond element to radiation from a radiation source; receiving a portion of the radiation that passes through the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond element; at least partially based on the portion of the radiation received, detecting at least one Group VIII metal and at least one chemical compound within a portion of the interstitial regions of the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond element; and correlating the detected at least one Group VIII metal or at least one chemical compound that does not include a Group VIII metal within the portion of the interstitial regions of the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond element with at least one performance characteristic of the at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond element. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A method of non-destructively testing a polycrystalline diamond element, the method comprising:
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providing an un-leached polycrystalline diamond element including a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions, at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions including one or more interstitial constituents disposed therein; exposing the un-leached polycrystalline diamond element to radiation from a radiation source; receiving a portion of the radiation that passes through the un-leached polycrystalline diamond element; at least partially based on the portion of the radiation received, detecting at least one Group VIII metal and at least one chemical compound that does not include a Group VIII metal within a portion of the interstitial regions of the un-leached polycrystalline diamond element. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification