Eruption control in thermally stable pcd products by the addition of transition metal carbide

Abstract

A method of loaning a diamond compact includes adding an additive material to a tungsten carbide substrate, the additive material including a transition metal carbide other than tungsten carbide, placing a diamond body adjacent to an interface surface of the tungsten carbide substrate, and subjecting the diamond body and the tungsten carbide substrate to a high pressure high temperature bonding process to bond the diamond body to the tungsten carbide substrate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a diamond compact, comprising:
 adding an additive material to a tungsten carbide substrate, the additive material comprising a transition metal carbide other than tungsten carbide;   placing a diamond body adjacent to an interface surface of the tungsten carbide substrate; and   subjecting the diamond body and the tungsten carbide substrate to a high pressure high temperature bonding process to bond the diamond body to the tungsten carbide substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The method of claim , wherein the transition metal carbide is selected from the group consisting of VC, Mo 2 C, Cr 3 C 2 , NbC, TaC, TiC, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the additive material is added to the tungsten carbide substrate by coating the interface surface of the tungsten carbide substrate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the additive material is added by a coating method selected from the group consisting of applying a foil, applying a layer of powder, applying a layer of paste, casting, brushing, spraying, chemical vapor deposition, and physical vapor deposition. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of adding comprises coating a surface of the diamond body with the additive material and placing the coated surface adjacent to the tungsten carbide substrate. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the additive material is added by a coating method selected from the group consisting of applying a foil, applying a layer of powder, applying a layer of paste, casting, brushing, spraying, chemical vapor deposition, and physical vapor deposition. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the additive material is added to the tungsten carbide substrate by forming the tungsten carbide substrate with the additive material premixed therein. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the additive material comprises up to 0.5 percent by weight of the tungsten carbide substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tungsten carbide substrate is provided as a powdered layer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tungsten carbide substrate is provided as a pre-sintered body. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the high pressure high temperature bonding process comprises a pressure of greater than 5,000 MPa and a temperature of greater than 1,300° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method, of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sintering diamond crystals and a catalyst material at a first high pressure high temperature condition to form a polycrystalline diamond material; and   leaching the polycrystalline diamond material to form the diamond body.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the diamond body has a height ranging from about 0.05 mm to about 12 mm. 
     
     
         14 . A cutting element, comprising:
 a substrate, the substrate comprising tungsten carbide grains bonded together with a cobalt binder; and   a polycrystalline diamond table bonded to the substrate at an interface, the polycrystalline diamond table comprising:
 a cutting face; and 
 a microstructure comprising a plurality of bonded together diamond grains and a plurality of interstitial regions disposed among the bonded together diamond grains, at least a portion of the interstitial regions comprising the cobalt hinder and a transition metal carbide, 
   the polycrystalline diamond table being substantially free of eruptions.   
     
     
         15 . The cutting element of  claim 14 , wherein the transition metal carbide is also disposed at the interface between the polycrystalline diamond table and the substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The cutting element of  claim 14 , wherein the substrate further comprises the transition metal carbide. 
     
     
         17 . The cutting element of  claim 14 , wherein the transition metal carbide is selected from the group consisting of VC, Mo 2 C, Cr 3 C 2 , NbC, TaC, TiC, and combinations thereof 
     
     
         18 . The cutting element of  claim 14 , wherein the transition metal carbide comprises up to 0.5 percent by weight of the substrate. 
     
     
         19 . The cutting element of  claim 14 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond table further comprises a height measured between the interface and the cutting face ranging from about 0.05 mm to about 12 mm. 
     
     
         20 . The cutting element of  claim 19 , wherein the cobalt binder and the transition metal carbide occupy the interstitial regions throughout the entire height of the polycrystalline diamond table.