Polycrystalline diamond compacts, related products, and methods of manufacture

Abstract

Embodiments relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) and methods of manufacturing such PDCs in which an at least partially leached polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table is infiltrated with a low viscosity cobalt-based alloy infiltrant.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
 a cemented carbide substrate; and   a preformed polycrystalline diamond table attached to the substrate, the preformed polycrystalline diamond table including:
 a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions; 
 a first region adjacent to the substrate having a cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant disposed in at least a portion of the interstitial regions of the first region; and 
 a second region extending inwardly from an exterior surface that is substantially free of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant. 
   
     
     
         2 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 1  wherein the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant has a composition that is at or near a eutectic composition. 
     
     
         3 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 1  wherein at least one of boron or silicon in the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant is present in a hypo-eutectic amount or a hyper-eutectic amount. 
     
     
         4 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 1  wherein boron is present in the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant in an amount greater than 0% to about 6% by weight of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant and silicon is present in the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant an amount greater than 0% to about 6% by weight of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant. 
     
     
         5 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 1  wherein boron is present in the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant an amount greater than 0% to about 4% or less by weight of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant and silicon is present in the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant in an amount greater than 0% to about 5% by weight of the alloy infiltrant. 
     
     
         6 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 1  wherein boron is present in the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant in an amount greater than 0% to about 3% by weight of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant and silicon is present in the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant in an amount greater than 0% to about 4% by weight of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant with the balance of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant being cobalt. 
     
     
         7 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 1  wherein the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant includes nickel. 
     
     
         8 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 1  wherein the second region includes at least a residual amount of a metal infiltrant. 
     
     
         9 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 1  wherein the cemented carbide substrate includes a cobalt cemented tungsten carbide substrate. 
     
     
         10 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 1  wherein the cemented carbide substrate includes a plurality of cemented carbide grains and at least some of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant disposed between at least some of the plurality of cemented carbide grains. 
     
     
         11 . A polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising:
 a cemented carbide substrate; and   a preformed polycrystalline diamond table attached to the substrate, the preformed polycrystalline diamond table including:
 a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions; 
 a first region adjacent to the substrate having a cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant disposed in at least a portion of the interstitial regions of the first region; and 
 a second region extending inwardly from an exterior surface that is substantially free of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant and includes one or more of copper, tin, germanium, gadolinium, magnesium, lithium, silicon, silver, zinc, gallium, antimony, bismuth, or alloys of any of the foregoing disposed in the interstitial regions of the second region. 
   
     
     
         12 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 11  wherein the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant has a composition that is at or near a eutectic composition. 
     
     
         13 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 11  wherein at least one of boron or silicon in the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant is present in a hypo-eutectic amount or a hyper-eutectic amount. 
     
     
         14 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 11  wherein boron is present in the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant in an amount greater than 0% to about 6% by weight of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant and silicon is present in the preformed polycrystalline diamond table in an amount greater than 0% to about 6% by weight of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant. 
     
     
         15 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 11  wherein boron is present in the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant in an amount greater than 0% to about 4% or less by weight of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant and silicon is present in the preformed polycrystalline diamond table in an amount greater than 0% to about 5% by weight of the alloy infiltrant. 
     
     
         16 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 11  wherein boron is present in the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant in an amount greater than 0% to about 3% by weight of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant and silicon is present in the preformed polycrystalline diamond table in an amount greater than 0% to about 4% by weight of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant with the balance of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant being cobalt. 
     
     
         17 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 11  wherein the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant includes nickel. 
     
     
         18 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 11  wherein the cemented carbide substrate includes a plurality of cemented carbide grains and at least some of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant disposed between at least some of the plurality of cemented carbide grains. 
     
     
         19 . The polycrystalline diamond compact of  claim 11  wherein the cemented carbide substrate includes a cobalt cemented tungsten carbide substrate. 
     
     
         20 . A rotary drill bit, comprising:
 a bit body configured to engage a subterranean formation, the bit body including a plurality of blades; and   a plurality of polycrystalline diamond cutting elements attached to the plurality of blades, at least one of the plurality of polycrystalline diamond cutting elements including:   a cemented carbide substrate; and   a preformed polycrystalline diamond table attached to the substrate, the preformed polycrystalline diamond table including:
 a plurality of bonded diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions; 
 a first region adjacent to the substrate having a cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant disposed in at least a portion of the interstitial regions of the first region; and 
 a second region extending inwardly from an exterior surface that is substantially free of the cobalt-boron-silicon alloy infiltrant.