Doubled-sided and multi-layered PCD and PCBN abrasive articles

Abstract

A doubled-sided PCD or PCBN compact as well as a new multi-layered PCD and PCBN can be produced using high pressure high temperature processes allowing for increased effective thickness of abrasive tools. A polycrystalline compact can include a substrate having a first surface and a second surface which are non-contiguous. Additionally, a first polycrystalline layer can be attached to the first surface of the substrate and a second polycrystalline layer attached to the second surface of the substrate. The first and second polycrystalline layers can include superabrasive particles bonded together by sintering or chemical bonding with an additional metal. Such double-sided PCD and PCBN compacts as well as a new multiple layered PCD and PCBN allow for increased effective thickness of a tool without suffering from non-homogenous results typical of standard PCD and PCBN compacts, regardless of superabrasive particle size. Each polycrystalline layer can include superabrasive particles of varying particle sizes such that the final tool is tailored for specific abrading characteristics. Such doubled-sided and/or multiple layered PCD and PCBN compacts can be incorporated into a wide variety of abrasive tools for use in cutting, milling, grinding, polishing, drilling and other similar abrasive applications.

1 . A polycrystalline compact, comprising: 
 a) a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first and second surfaces are non-contiguous;    b) a first polycrystalline layer attached to the first surface, said first polycrystalline layer including first superabrasive particles bonded together; and    c) a second polycrystalline layer attached to the second surface, said second polycrystalline layer including second superabrasive particles bonded together.    
     
     
         2 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a member selected from the group consisting of cemented tungsten carbide, cemented titanium carbide, cemented tantalum carbide, tungsten, titanium, and mixtures or composites thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 2 , wherein the substrate comprises cemented tungsten carbide.  
     
     
         4 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second superabrasive particles are either diamond or cubic boron nitride.  
     
     
         5 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second superabrasive particles have different average particles sizes.  
     
     
         6 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 5 , wherein said first superabrasive particles have an average particle size of from about 1 μm to about 10 μm and said second superabrasive particles have an average particle size of from about 20 μm to about 60 μm.  
     
     
         7 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 6 , wherein said first superabrasive particles have an average particle size of from about 2 μm to about 4 μm and said second superabrasive particles have an average particle size of from about 30 μm to about 50 μm.  
     
     
         8 . A polycrystalline tool formed from the polycrystalline compact of  claim 5 , wherein the first polycrystalline layer is further attached to a tool body.  
     
     
         9 . The polycrystalline tool of  claim 8 , wherein the polycrystalline tool is a drill bit.  
     
     
         10 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second surfaces are substantially parallel.  
     
     
         11 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second polycrystalline layers have a thickness of from about 5 μm to about 2 mm.  
     
     
         12 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 1 , wherein the polycrystalline compact has a thickness of from about 1 mm to about 5 mm.  
     
     
         13 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second polycrystalline layers include superabrasive particles bonded together by sintering.  
     
     
         14 . A polycrystalline tool formed from the polycrystalline compact of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         15 . The polycrystalline tool of  claim 14 , wherein the polycrystalline tool is a member selected from the group consisting of drill bit, cutting insert, saw blade, and wire saw.  
     
     
         16 . A method of forming a polycrystalline compact, comprising steps of: 
 a) providing a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first and second surfaces are non-contiguous;    b) forming a first superabrasive layer on the first surface;    c) forming a second superabrasive layer on the second surface;    d) heating said first and second superabrasive layers such that superabrasive particles of each layer are bonded together to form a multilayer polycrystalline compact.    
     
     
         17 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 16 , wherein the substrate comprises a member selected from the group consisting of cemented tungsten carbide, cemented titanium carbide, cemented tantalum carbide, tungsten, titanium, and mixtures or composites thereof.  
     
     
         18 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 16 , wherein the superabrasive is either diamond or cubic boron nitride.  
     
     
         19 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second superabrasive layers have a thickness of from about 5 μm to about 2 mm.  
     
     
         20 . The polycrystalline compact of  claim 19 , wherein the said first and second superabrasive layers have superabrasive particles of different average particle sizes.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising the step of cutting the polycrystalline compact such that a plurality of polycrystalline tool inserts are formed having at least two polycrystalline surfaces.  
     
     
         22 . A method of producing an abrasive tool comprising attaching the polycrystalline tool insert produced by the method of  claim 21  to a tool body, wherein at least a portion of the substrate is attached to the tool body.  
     
     
         23 . A method of producing an abrasive tool comprising attaching the polycrystalline tool insert produced by the method of  claim 21  to a tool body, wherein only one of the first and second polycrystalline layers is attached to the tool body.  
     
     
         24 . A method of forming a polycrystalline compact, comprising extending an effective thickness of a polycrystalline layer using a non-superabrasive intermediate material.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the polycrystalline layer is either diamond or cubic boron nitride.  
     
     
         26 . A multi-layered polycrystalline compact having at least two external polycrystalline layers separated by at least a substrate.  
     
     
         27 . The multi-layered polycrystalline compact of  claim 26 , wherein the at least two external polycrystalline layers each have a thickness of from about 5 μm to about 2 mm.  
     
     
         28 . The multi-layered polycrystalline compact of  claim 26 , wherein the at least two external polycrystalline layers comprise either diamond or cubic boron nitride.  
     
     
         29 . A multi-layered polycrystalline article, comprising at least two polycrystalline layers coupled together by sintering with a sintering aid under high pressure and high temperature, said polycrystalline layers including superabrasive particles bonded together.  
     
     
         30 . The multi-layered polycrystalline article of  claim 29 , wherein the sintering aid is selected from the group consisting of cobalt, titanium, nickel, manganese, iron, silicon, aluminum, vanadium, chromium, zirconium, molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, and alloys thereof.  
     
     
         31 . The multi-layered polycrystalline article of  claim 29 , wherein the superabrasive particles are diamond or cubic boron nitride.  
     
     
         32 . The multi-layered polycrystalline article of  claim 29 , wherein the at least two polycrystalline layers have superabrasive particles having different average particle sizes.  
     
     
         33 . The multi-layered polycrystalline article of  claim 32 , wherein a first and second polycrystalline layer include first and second superabrasive particles, respectively, wherein said first superabrasive particles have an average particle size of from about 1 μm to about 10 μm and said second superabrasive particles have an average particle size of from about 20 μm to about 60 μm.  
     
     
         34 . A polycrystalline tool formed from the multi-layered polycrystalline article of  claim 32 .  
     
     
         35 . The polycrystalline tool of  claim 34 , wherein the polycrystalline tool is a member selected from the group consisting of drill bit, cutting insert, wire drawing die, saw blade, and wire saw.  
     
     
         36 . The multi-layered polycrystalline article of  claim 29 , wherein the at least two polycrystalline layers have a combined thickness of from about 3 mm to about 30 mm.  
     
     
         37 . The multi-layered polycrystalline article of  claim 36 , wherein the at least two polycrystalline layers have superabrasive particles having an average particle size of from about 2 μm to about 10 μm.  
     
     
         38 . A multi-layered polycrystalline precursor, comprising at least two polycrystalline layers each at least partially separated by a coupling agent, said polycrystalline layers including superabrasive particles sintered together under high pressure and high temperature.  
     
     
         39 . The multi-layered polycrystalline precursor of  claim 38 , wherein the coupling agent is a member selected from the group consisting of cobalt, titanium, nickel, manganese, iron, silicon, aluminum, vanadium, chromium, zirconium, molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, and alloys thereof.  
     
     
         40 . The multi-layered polycrystalline precursor of  claim 38 , wherein the superabrasive particles are diamond or cubic boron nitride.  
     
     
         41 . The multi-layered polycrystalline precursor of  claim 38 , wherein the at least two polycrystalline layers have a combined thickness of from about 3 mm to about 30 mm.  
     
     
         42 . The multi-layered polycrystalline precursor of  claim 41 , wherein the at least two polycrystalline layers have superabrasive particles having an average particle size of from about 2 μm to about 10 μm.  
     
     
         43 . The multi-layered polycrystalline precursor of  claim 37 , further comprising at least three polycrystalline layers.  
     
     
         44 . The multi-layered polycrystalline precursor of  claim 43 , wherein the at least two polycrystalline layers have superabrasive particles having different average particle sizes.  
     
     
         45 . A method of joining a polycrystalline layer and a substrate, comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a substrate having a contact surface;    b) providing at least one polycrystalline layer, wherein the at least one polycrystalline layer includes a first surface configured for joining to the contact surface;    c) coating at least one of said first and contact surfaces with a coupling agent;    d) placing said first and contact surfaces in contact with one another in a predetermined orientation to form a polycrystalline precursor; and    e) subjecting said polycrystalline precursor to high pressure and high temperature sufficient to bond said at least one polycrystalline layer and said substrate.    
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 45 , wherein said substrate comprises a member selected from the group consisting of cemented tungsten carbide, cemented titanium carbide, cemented tantalum carbide, tungsten, titanium, and mixtures or composites thereof.  
     
     
         47 . A method of joining polycrystalline layers, comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing at least two polycrystalline layers, wherein each layer includes a first surface configured for joining to a corresponding second surface of an adjacent polycrystalline layer;    b) coating at least one of said first and second surfaces with a coupling agent;    c) placing said first and second surfaces in contact with one another in a predetermined orientation to form a multi-layered polycrystalline precursor; and    d) subjecting said multi-layered polycrystalline precursor to high pressure and high temperature sufficient to bond said at least two polycrystalline layers.    
     
     
         48 . The method of either  claim 45  or  47 , wherein the coupling agent is selected from the group consisting of cobalt, titanium, nickel, manganese, iron, silicon, aluminum, vanadium, chromium, zirconium, molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum, and alloys thereof.  
     
     
         49 . The method of either  claim 45  or  47 , wherein the step of bonding involves sintering.  
     
     
         50 . The method of either  claim 45  or  47 , wherein said high temperature is from about 1,200° C. to about 1,500° C. and said high pressure is from about 1 GPa to about 7 GPa.  
     
     
         51 . The method of either  claim 45  or  47 , wherein the step of coating is performed by sputtering, electrodeposition, electroless deposition, spot-welding, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the step of coating is performed by sputtering.  
     
     
         53 . The method of either  claim 45  or  47 , wherein said polycrystalline layers are provided by a separate high pressure high temperature process.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  47 , wherein said at least two polycrystalline layers include superabrasive particles having different average particle sizes.  
     
     
         55 . A polycrystalline article produced by the method of either  claim 45  or  47 .