Methods of leaching elements including superabrasive or superhard materials

Abstract

A method of leaching an element may include exposing an electrode and at least a portion of an element body comprising at least one of a superabrasive or a superhard material to a processing solution; while the electrode and the at least a portion of the element body are exposed to the processing solution in an electrochemical leaching process, applying an electrical potential between the electrode and the element body; and preferentially removing the metallic material from a portion of the element body in the electrochemical leaching process.

1 . A method of leaching an element, the method comprising:
 exposing an electrode and at least a portion of an element body comprising at least one of a superabrasive or a superhard material to a processing solution, wherein the element body includes grains defining interstitial regions, at least a portion of the interstitial regions including a metallic material and at least one tungsten-containing material;   while the electrode and the at least a portion of the element body are exposed to the processing solution in an electrochemical leaching process, applying an electrical potential between the electrode and the element body; and   removing relatively more of the metallic material from the interstitial regions of the element body than the at least one tungsten-containing material during the electrochemical leaching process to form a leached volume.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising preferentially removing the metallic material while substantially not causing removal of the at least one tungsten-containing material. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising removing relatively more of the metallic material to produce the leached volume with the metallic material present in a concentration of greater than 0 to about 1.5 weight %. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising removing relatively more of the metallic material to produce the leached volume with the at least one tungsten-containing material present in the leached volume in a second concentration of greater than 0 to about 4 weight %. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising causing preferential leaching of at least a portion of the metallic material from the at least a portion of the element body over the at least one tungsten-containing material. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming the element body as a cutting element having a cutting face and side surfaces. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising leaching only an outer periphery of the cutting face and an adjoining portion of the side surfaces. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein a chamfer is defined between the outer periphery of the cutting face and the adjoining portion of the side surfaces. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising defining an unleached portion of the element body with an inner portion of the cutting face. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising only partially leaching the side surfaces such that a portion of the side surfaces are included in the unleached portion. 
     
     
         11 . A method of leaching an element, the method comprising:
 exposing an electrode and at least a portion of an element body comprising a polycrystalline diamond material to a processing solution, wherein the polycrystalline diamond material includes diamond grains defining interstitial regions, at least a portion of the interstitial regions including a metallic material and at least one tungsten-containing material;   while the electrode and the at least a portion of the element body are exposed to the processing solution in an electrochemical leaching process, applying an electrical potential between the electrode and the element body; and   preferentially removing the metallic material over the at least one tungsten-containing material to define a leached volume of the element body during the electrochemical leaching process.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising leaching only an outer portion of a face of the element body and a portion of a side surface of the element body. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising maintaining an inner portion of the face of the element body as an unleached portion. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising leaching only a portion of the element body including a face that transitions into a side surface of the element body. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising defining a chamfer at an interface between the face of the element body and the side surface of the element body. 
     
     
         16 . A method of leaching an element, the method comprising:
 exposing an electrode and at least a portion of an element body having a cutting face and a side surface to a processing solution, the element body comprising at least one of a superabrasive or a superhard material, wherein the element body defines interstitial regions including a metallic material;   while the electrode and the at least a portion of the element body are exposed to the processing solution in an electrochemical leaching process, applying an electrical potential between the electrode and the element body; and   preferentially removing the metallic material from the interstitial regions of the element body proximate an outer periphery of the cutting face and the side surface during the electrochemical leaching process to form a leached volume.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising defining an inner portion of the cutting face and a portion of the side surface of the element body positioned distal to the cutting face as an unleached volume. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising defining a leached chamfer portion between the outer periphery of the cutting face and the side surface. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising leaching only an outer portion of the cutting face of the element body, a chamfer at an interface between the cutting face and the side surface, and a portion of the side surface of the element body positioned adjacent to the chamfer. 
     
     
         20 . A cutting element formed by the method of  claim 16 .