Polycrystalline diamond construction and method of making same

Abstract

A polycrystalline diamond construction comprises diamond grains exhibiting inter-granular bonding and defining a plurality of interstitial regions, and a non-diamond phase at least partially filling a plurality of the interstitial regions to form non-diamond pools. The percentage of non-diamond phase in the total area of a cross-section of the body of polycrystalline diamond material is between around 0 to 5%, and the average nearest neighbour distance between grains of the non-diamond phase is less than around 1.3 microns in an analysed image of a cross-section through the body of polycrystalline material when analysed using an image analysis technique at a magnification of around 1000 and an image area of 1280 by 960 pixels; or is between around 5 to 10%, and the average nearest neighbour distance between grains of the non-diamond phase is less than around 1.04 microns, or is between around 10 to 15%, and the average nearest neighbour distance between grains of the non-diamond phase is less than around 1.04 microns, or is between around 15 to 30%, and the average nearest neighbour distance between grains of the non-diamond phase is less than around 0.8 microns.

1 . A polycrystalline diamond construction comprising a body of polycrystalline diamond material formed of:
 a mass of diamond grains exhibiting inter-granular bonding and defining a plurality of interstitial regions therebetween, and   a non-diamond phase at least partially filling a plurality of the interstitial regions to form non-diamond pools, the non-diamond pools each having an individual cross-sectional area,   wherein the percentage of non-diamond phase in the total area of a cross-section of the body of polycrystalline diamond material is between around 0 to 5%, and the average nearest neighbour distance between grains of the non-diamond phase is less than around 1.3 microns in an analysed image of a cross-section through the body of polycrystalline material when analysed using an image analysis technique at a magnification of around 1000 and an image area of 1280 by 960 pixels.   
     
     
         2 . A polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 1 , wherein the mean of the individual cross-sectional areas of the non-diamond phase in the analysed image of the cross-section through the body of polycrystalline material is around less than 0.7 microns squared when analysed using an image analysis technique at a magnification of around 1000 and an image area of 1280 by 960 pixels. 
     
     
         3 . A polycrystalline diamond construction comprising a body of polycrystalline diamond material formed of:
 a mass of diamond grains exhibiting inter-granular bonding and defining a plurality of interstitial regions therebetween, and   a non-diamond phase at least partially filling a plurality of the interstitial regions to form non-diamond pools, the non-diamond pools each having an individual cross-sectional area,   wherein the percentage of non-diamond phase in the total area of a cross-section of the body of polycrystalline diamond material is between around 5 to 10%, and the average nearest neighbour distance between grains of the non-diamond phase is less than around 1.04 microns in an analysed image of a cross-section through the body of polycrystalline material when analysed using an image analysis technique at a magnification of around 1000 and an image area of 1280 by 960 pixels.   
     
     
         4 . A polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 3 , wherein the mean of the individual cross-sectional areas of the non-diamond phase in the analysed image of the cross-section through the body of polycrystalline diamond material is around less than 0.340 microns squared when analysed using an image analysis technique at a magnification of around 1000 and an image area of 1280 by 960 pixels. 
     
     
         5 . A polycrystalline diamond construction comprising a body of polycrystalline diamond material formed of:
 a mass of diamond grains exhibiting inter-granular bonding and defining a plurality of interstitial regions therebetween, and   a non-diamond phase at least partially filling a plurality of the interstitial regions to form non-diamond pools, the non-diamond pools each having an individual cross-sectional area,   wherein the percentage of non-diamond phase in the total area of a cross-section of the polycrystalline diamond construction is between around 10 to 15%, and   the average nearest neighbour distance between grains of the non-diamond phase is less than around 1.04 microns in an analysed image of a cross-section through the body of polycrystalline material when analysed using an image analysis technique at a magnification of around 3000 and an image area of 1280 by 960 pixels.   
     
     
         6 . A polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 5 , wherein the mean of the individual cross-sectional areas of the non-diamond phase in the analysed image of the cross section through the body of polycrystalline material is around less than 0.340 microns squared when analysed using an image analysis technique at a magnification of around 3000 and an image area of 1280 by 960 pixels. 
     
     
         7 . A polycrystalline diamond construction comprising a body of polycrystalline diamond material formed of:
 a mass of diamond grains exhibiting inter-granular bonding and defining a plurality of interstitial regions therebetween, and   a non-diamond phase at least partially filling a plurality of the interstitial regions to form non-diamond pools, the non-diamond pools each having an individual cross-sectional area,   wherein the percentage of non-diamond phase in the total area of a cross-section of the polycrystalline diamond construction is between around 15 to 30%, and   the average nearest neighbour distance between grains of the non-diamond phase is less than around 0.8 microns in an analysed image of a cross-section through the body of polycrystalline material when analysed using an image analysis technique at a magnification of around 10000 and an image area of 1280 by 960 pixels.   
     
     
         8 . A polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 7 , the mean of the individual cross-sectional areas of the non-diamond phase in the analysed image of the cross section through the body of polycrystalline material is between around 0.005 to 0.340 microns squared when analysed using an image analysis technique at a magnification of around 10000 and an image area of 1280 by 960 pixels. 
     
     
         9 . A polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 1 , wherein the body of polycrystalline diamond material has a largest dimension of around 6 mm or greater. 
     
     
         10 . A polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 1 , wherein the body of polycrystalline diamond material has a thickness of around 0.3 mm or greater. 
     
     
         11 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A cutter for boring into the earth comprising the polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         16 . A PCD element for a rotary shear bit for boring into the earth, for a percussion drill bit or for a pick for mining or asphalt degradation, comprising the polycrystalline diamond construction of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A method for making a polycrystalline diamond construction, the method comprising:
 providing a mass of diamond grains having a first average size, arranging the mass of diamond grains to form a pre-sinter assembly with a body of material for forming a substrate; and   subjecting the assembly in the presence of a binder/catalyst material for diamond to a sufficiently high temperature for the binder/catalyst material to be in the liquid state and to a first pressure at which the diamond material is thermodynamically stable; reducing the pressure to a second pressure at which the diamond material is thermodynamically stable, the temperature being maintained sufficiently high to maintain the binder/catalyst material in the liquid state; reducing the temperature to solidify the binder/catalyst material; and reducing the pressure and the temperature to an ambient condition to sinter together the diamond grains and a substrate bonded thereto along an interface to form an integral PCD construction; the diamond grains exhibiting inter-granular bonding and defining a plurality of interstitial regions therebetween, a non-diamond phase at least partially filling a plurality of the interstitial regions to form non-diamond pools, the non-diamond pools each having an individual cross-sectional area, wherein:   the percentage of non-diamond phase in the total area of a cross-section of the body of polycrystalline diamond material is between around 0 to 5%, and the average nearest neighbour distance between grains of the non-diamond phase is less than around 1.3 microns in an analysed image of a cross-section through the body of polycrystalline material when analysed using an image analysis technique at a magnification of around 1000 and an image area of 1280 by 960 pixels; or   the percentage of non-diamond phase in the total area of a cross-section of the body of polycrystalline diamond material is between around 5 to 10%, and the average nearest neighbour distance between grains of the non-diamond phase is less than around 1.04 microns in an analysed image of a cross-section through the body of polycrystalline material when analysed using an image analysis technique at a magnification of around 1000 and an image area of 1280 by 960 pixels; or   the percentage of non-diamond phase in the total area of a cross-section of the polycrystalline diamond construction is between around 10 to 15%, and the average nearest neighbour distance between grains of the non-diamond phase is less than around 1.04 microns in an analysed image of a cross-section through the body of polycrystalline material when analysed using an image analysis technique at a magnification of around 3000 and an image area of 1280 by 960 pixels; or   the percentage of non-diamond phase in the total area of a cross-section of the polycrystalline diamond construction is between around 15 to 30%, and the average nearest neighbour distance between grains of the non-diamond phase is less than around 0.8 microns in an analysed image of a cross-section through the body of polycrystalline material when analysed using an image analysis technique at a magnification of around 10000 and an image area of 1280 by 960 pixels; and the largest dimension of the body of polycrystalline diamond material is around 6 mm or greater.   
     
     
         19 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 3 , wherein the body of polycrystalline diamond material has a largest dimension of around 6 mm or greater. 
     
     
         22 . A polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 5 , wherein the body of polycrystalline diamond material has a largest dimension of around 6 mm or greater. 
     
     
         23 . A polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 7 , wherein the body of polycrystalline diamond material has a largest dimension of around 6 mm or greater. 
     
     
         24 . A polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 3 , wherein the body of polycrystalline diamond material has a thickness of around 0.3 mm or greater. 
     
     
         25 . A polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 5 , wherein the body of polycrystalline diamond material has a thickness of around 0.3 mm or greater. 
     
     
         26 . A polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 7 , wherein the body of polycrystalline diamond material has a thickness of around 0.3 mm or greater. 
     
     
         27 . A cutter for boring into the earth comprising the polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 3 . 
     
     
         28 . A PCD element for a rotary shear bit for boring into the earth, for a percussion drill bit or for a pick for mining or asphalt degradation, comprising the polycrystalline diamond construction of  claim 3 . 
     
     
         29 . A cutter for boring into the earth comprising the polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 5 . 
     
     
         30 . A PCD element for a rotary shear bit for boring into the earth, for a percussion drill bit or for a pick for mining or asphalt degradation, comprising the polycrystalline diamond construction of  claim 5 . 
     
     
         31 . A cutter for boring into the earth comprising the polycrystalline diamond construction according to  claim 7 . 
     
     
         32 . A PCD element for a rotary shear bit for boring into the earth, for a percussion drill bit or for a pick for mining or asphalt degradation, comprising the polycrystalline diamond construction of  claim 7 .