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US4664705A
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US
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Infiltrated thermally stable polycrystalline diamond
Assignee: SII MegaDiamond Inc
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Filing: 1985-07-30
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Granted: 1987-05-12
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Expires: 2005-07-30
Abstract
Abstract A polycrystalline diamond (PCD) body with improved thermal stability is disclosed which comprises a PCD body which has had at least one of its previously empty pores infiltrated by a silicon containing alloy. According to the process of the invention, a porous PCD body is obtained, preferably by acid leaching a PCD body which was formed in the presence of a metal catalyst such as cobalt. The porous PCD body is then surrounded by either the desired silicon containing alloy, or by the constituents of that alloy, each preferably in powdered form. The PCD body with its surrounding material is then heated and pressed to temperatures sufficient to melt the surrounding material (thereby forming the silicon alloy if not already formed) and to cause it to infiltrate into the pores. After the infiltration, it is preferred to remove the excess silicon containing alloy from the external surfaces of the PCD body, such as by an acid bath. It is also preferred to include several porous PCD bodies per process cycle. The metal component of the alloy together with the relative amounts of silicon can be selected in order to achieve the lowest melting point of the alloy and the best performance characteristics of the infiltrated PCD bodies.
Inventors
- 👤 M. Duane Horton
- 👤 Gary R. Peterson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 05:22
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01J; B01J3/00; B01J3/06; B01J3/062; C; C22; C22C; C22C26/00; B01J2203/00; B01J2203/06; B01J2203/0605; B01J2203/062; B01J2203/065; B01J2203/0655; B01J2203/0675; B01J2203/0685; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 43
Claim 1
Independent Claim
82 words
A polycrystalline diamond body comprising: a quantity of diamond crystals directly bonded to each other to form polycrystalline diamond, said crystals defining a network of pores which communicate with an external surface of the body, and said pores having been created during the formation of the polycrystalline diamond; and a quantity of silicon containing alloy infiltrated into at least a portion of said pores from the external surface of the body in a step subsequent to the formation of the polycrystalline diamond.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
82 words
A polycrystalline diamond body comprising: a quantity of diamond crystals directly bonded to each other to form polycrystalline diamond, said crystals defining a network of pores which communicate with an external surface of the body, and said pores having been created during the formation of the polycrystalline diamond; and a quantity of silicon containing alloy infiltrated into at least a portion of said pores from the external surface of the body in a step subsequent to the formation of the polycrystalline diamond.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The polycrystalline diamond body as in claim 1 wherein the silicon containing alloy comprises silicon and a catalytic material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The polycrystalline diamond body as in claim 1 wherein the silicon containing alloy comprises silicon and at least one other material selected from the group consisting of nickel, aluminum, copper, cobalt, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The polycrystalline diamond body as in claim 3 wherein the silicon comprises between 10 and 45 percent by weight of the silicon containing alloy.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The polycrystalline diamond body as in claim 1 wherein the silicon containing alloy comprises silicon and nickel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The polycrystalline diamond body as in claim 5 wherein the silicon comprises between 28 and 42 percent by weight of the silicon containing alloy.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The polycrystalline diamond body as in claim 5 wherein the silicon comprises about 33 percent by weight of the silicon containing alloy and the nickel comprises about 67 percent by weight of the silicon containing alloy.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
17 words
The polycrystalline diamond body as in claim 1 wherein the silicon containing alloy comprises silicon and aluminum.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The polycrystalline diamond body as in claim 8 wherein the silicon comprises between 10 and 45 percent by weight of the silicon containing alloy.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
The polycrystalline diamond body as in claim 9 wherein the aluminum comprises between 55 and 90 percent by weight, of the silicon containing alloy.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
122 words
A process for producing a polycrystalline diamond body with increased thermal stability comprising the steps of: providing a porous polycrystalline diamond body comprising a quantity of diamond crystals directly bonded to each other to form polycrystalline diamond, said crystals defining a network of pores which communicate with an external surface of the body, said pores having been created during the formation of the polycrystalline diamond; and providing a quantity of a silicon containing alloy; surrounding the porous polycrystalline diamond body with the quantity of a silicon containing alloy; subjecting the porous polycrystalline diamond body and the surrounding quantity of a silicon containing alloy to sufficient heat and pressure to cause the silicon alloy to infiltrate at least a portion of said pores.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
122 words
A process for producing a polycrystalline diamond body with increased thermal stability comprising the steps of: providing a porous polycrystalline diamond body comprising a quantity of diamond crystals directly bonded to each other to form polycrystalline diamond, said crystals defining a network of pores which communicate with an external surface of the body, said pores having been created during the formation of the polycrystalline diamond; and providing a quantity of a silicon containing alloy; surrounding the porous polycrystalline diamond body with the quantity of a silicon containing alloy; subjecting the porous polycrystalline diamond body and the surrounding quantity of a silicon containing alloy to sufficient heat and pressure to cause the silicon alloy to infiltrate at least a portion of said pores.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim ll wherein the silicon containing alloy comprises silicon and a catalytic material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the silicon containing alloy comprises silicon and at least one other material selected from the group consisting of nickel, aluminum, copper, cobalt, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 13 wherein the silicon comprises between 10 and 45 percent by weight of the silicon containing alloy.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the silicon containing alloy comprises silicon and nickel.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 15 wherein the silicon comprises between 28 and 42 percent by weight of the silicon containing alloy.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 16 wherein the nickel comprises between 58 and 72 percent by weight of the silicon containing alloy.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the silicon containing alloy comprises silicon and aluminum.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 18 wherein the silicon comprises between 10 and 45 percent by weight of the silicon containing alloy.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 19 wherein the aluminum comprises between 55 and 90 percent by weight of the silicon containing alloy.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the silicon containing alloy is provided in powdered form.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
56 words
The process of claim 11 wherein the porous polycrystalline diamond body is placed in a reaction chamber with several other such porous polycrystalline diamond bodies which bodies are then surrounded by the silicon containing alloy after which the reaction chamber is subjected to said heat and pressure sufficient to cause infiltration by said silicon containing alloy.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
52 words
The process of claim 22 wherein excess silicon containing alloy is removed by placing the polycrystalline diamond body in a chemical bath for a time long enough to remove the silicon containing alloy from the external surface but short enough to prevent significant depletion of the silicon containing alloy from the pores.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
136 words
A process for producing a polycrystalline diamond body with increased thermal stability comprising the steps of: providing a porous polycrystalline diamond body comprising a quantity of diamond crystals directly bonded to each other to form polycrystalline diamond, said crystals defining a network of pores which communicate with an external surface of the body, said pores having been created during the formation of the polycrystalline diamond; and providing a mixture comprising silicon and a second component which will form an alloy with silicon; surrounding the porous polycrystalline diamond body with the mixture; subjecting the porous polycrystalline diamond body and the surrounding mixture to such heat and pressure sufficient to cause the silicon and the second component to form a silicon containing alloy and sufficient to cause the alloy to infiltrate at least a portion of said pores.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
136 words
A process for producing a polycrystalline diamond body with increased thermal stability comprising the steps of: providing a porous polycrystalline diamond body comprising a quantity of diamond crystals directly bonded to each other to form polycrystalline diamond, said crystals defining a network of pores which communicate with an external surface of the body, said pores having been created during the formation of the polycrystalline diamond; and providing a mixture comprising silicon and a second component which will form an alloy with silicon; surrounding the porous polycrystalline diamond body with the mixture; subjecting the porous polycrystalline diamond body and the surrounding mixture to such heat and pressure sufficient to cause the silicon and the second component to form a silicon containing alloy and sufficient to cause the alloy to infiltrate at least a portion of said pores.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the second component of the mixture comprises a catalytic material.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the second component of the mixture is selected from the group consisting of nickel, aluminum, copper, cobalt, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 26 wherein the silicon comprises between 10 and 45 percent by weight of the mixture.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the mixture comprises silicon and nickel.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 28 wherein the silicon comprises between 28 and 42 percent by weight of the mixture.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 29 wherein the nickel comprises between 58 and 72 percent by weight of the mixture.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the mixture comprises silicon and aluminum.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 31 wherein the silicon comprises between 10 and 45 percent by weight of the mixture.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 32 wherein the aluminum comprises between 55 and 90 percent by weight of the mixture.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the silicon and the second component of the mixture are provided in powdered form.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
64 words
The process of claim 24 wherein the porous polycrystalline diamond body is placed in a reaction chamber with several other such porous polycrystalline diamond bodies which bodies are then surrounded by the mixture, after which the reaction chamber is subjected to said heat and pressure sufficient to cause the formation of the silicon containing alloy and to cause infiltration of said silicon containing alloy.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
53 words
The process of claim 35 wherein excess silicon containing alloy is removed by placing the polycrystalline diamond body in a chemical bath for a time long enough to remove the silicon containing alloy from the external surface but not long enough to allow significant depletion of the silicon containing alloy from the pores.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
168 words
A process for producing a polycrystalline diamond body with increased thermal stability comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of polycrystalline diamond bodies each comprising a quantity of diamond crystals directly bonded to each other to form polycrystalline diamond, said crystals defining a network of pores which communicate with an external surface of the body, and said pores having been created during the formation of the polycrystalline diamond; and providing a powdered mixture comprising silicon powder and powder of a material selected from the group consisting of nickel, aluminum and mixtures thereof; placing said plurality of polycrystalline diamond bodies in a reaction chamber; surrounding said plurality of polycrystalline diamond bodies with said powdered mixture; subjecting said reaction chamber with its contents to sufficient heat and pressure to cause the powdered mixture to form a silicon containing alloy and sufficient to cause the silicon containing alloy to infiltrate at least some of the pores; and removing excess silicon containing alloy from the external surface of the polycrystalline diamond bodies.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
168 words
A process for producing a polycrystalline diamond body with increased thermal stability comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of polycrystalline diamond bodies each comprising a quantity of diamond crystals directly bonded to each other to form polycrystalline diamond, said crystals defining a network of pores which communicate with an external surface of the body, and said pores having been created during the formation of the polycrystalline diamond; and providing a powdered mixture comprising silicon powder and powder of a material selected from the group consisting of nickel, aluminum and mixtures thereof; placing said plurality of polycrystalline diamond bodies in a reaction chamber; surrounding said plurality of polycrystalline diamond bodies with said powdered mixture; subjecting said reaction chamber with its contents to sufficient heat and pressure to cause the powdered mixture to form a silicon containing alloy and sufficient to cause the silicon containing alloy to infiltrate at least some of the pores; and removing excess silicon containing alloy from the external surface of the polycrystalline diamond bodies.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 37 wherein the removing step is accomplished by chemical leaching.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 38 wherein the reaction chamber is subdivided with pieces of a metal selected so as to dissolve more rapidly than said excess silicon containing alloy during said chemical leaching.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-05-11 | 1990-11-10 | 1991-05-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-05-11 | 1994-11-10 | 1995-05-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-05-11 | 1998-11-10 | 1999-05-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |