Dual sweep design for manufacturing polycrystalline diamond compact

Abstract

A method for forming a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) includes steps of disposing a first catalyst source on a top of a plurality of diamond crystals; disposing a second catalyst source at a bottom of the plurality of diamond crystals; and applying high temperature and high pressure to the plurality of diamond crystals, the first catalyst source and the second catalyst source such that the plurality of diamond crystals are sintered into a polycrystalline diamond compact.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC), comprising:
 disposing a first catalyst source on a first side of a plurality of diamond crystals;   disposing a second catalyst source at a second side of the plurality of diamond crystals; and   applying high temperature and high pressure to the plurality of diamond crystals, the first catalyst source and the second catalyst source such that the plurality of diamond crystals are sintered into a polycrystalline diamond compact.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first catalyst source and the second catalyst source have different compositions. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first catalyst source and the second catalyst source have same composition. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein both the first catalyst source and the second catalyst source are cobalt. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising melting the first catalyst source firstly, melting the second catalyst source secondly. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first side is an opposite side of the second side of the plurality of diamond crystals. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second catalyst source is a cobalt ring. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second catalyst is a cobalt disk. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first catalyst source has a plurality of perforated holes. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein high pressure and high temperature are at least 45 Kbar and 1400° C., respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising sweeping the plurality of diamond crystals with the first catalyst source and the second catalyst source to form polycrystalline diamond. 
     
     
         12 . A method of forming a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC), comprising:
 disposing a first catalyst source and a second catalyst source near a plurality of diamond crystals; and   sweeping the plurality of diamond crystals with the first catalyst source and the second catalyst source at high temperature and high pressure to form the polycrystalline diamond compact.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first catalyst source and the second catalyst source are at an opposite side of the plurality of diamond crystals. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein high pressure and high temperature are at least 45 Kbar and 1400° C., respectively. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first catalyst source is cobalt cemented tungsten carbide. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the second catalyst source is a cobalt ring. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising sweeping the plurality of diamond crystals with the first catalyst source firstly, then with the second catalyst secondly. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising melting the first catalyst source firstly, then the second catalyst secondly. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of diamonds is sub-micron diamonds. 
     
     
         20 . A polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
 a plurality of sub-micron diamonds; and   a sintered catalyst, wherein a thickness of the polycrystalline diamond compact is more than 1.5 mm, wherein the polycrystalline diamond compact does not have a defect zone.   
     
     
         21 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 20 , wherein the sub-micron diamonds have particle sizes less than 0.9 microns. 
     
     
         22 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 20 , wherein the sub-micron diamonds have particle sizes from about 0.2 microns to about 0.8 microns.