Norton Company

Chien-Min Sung

Sy-Hwa Chen

Leo Merrill

Louis K Bigelow

Hyun S Cho

Frank J Csillag

Superabrasive cutting elements, backed compacts and methods for their manufacture are disclosed wherein metal coated superabrasive particles are cemented under HPHT conditions. The superabrasives bond to the metal of the coating and the metal coatings of adjacent particles bond to each other forming a matrix. A binding aid with thermal expansion characteristics close to that of the superabrasive particle can be infiltrated through or otherwise mixed with the particles to assist in the bonding between the metal coatings and to fill in voids. Catalyst and non-catalyst binding aids can also be used. Uncoated, smaller superabrasive particles can be interstitially dispersed among the coated particles to increase the superabrasive concentration and can self bond to form a cemented/sintered structure. Tungsten is a preferred metal coating and silicon is a preferred binding/sintering aid. The superabrasive can be diamond, cubic boron nitride, boron doped diamond or crushed, sintered polycrystalline aggregates. The free-standing cutting element can have a brazeable layer and the compact can be backed with, for example, cemented tungsten carbide. Free-standing cutting elements can be thermally stable up to 1,200.degree. C. Backed compacts can be thermally stable up to 1,100.degree. C.

Cemented and cemented/sintered superabrasive polycrystalline bodies and

An improved temperature stable synthetic polycrystalline diamond (PCD) product includes at least one temperature stable PCD integrally and chemically bonded to a matrix carrier support through a carbide forming layer which is of a thickness of at least about 1 micron, the layer on at least one surface of the PCD is in turn is bonded to the matrix carrier. A wide variety of shapes, sizes and configurations of such products is achieved through relatively low temperature and relatively low pressure processing. Various products of various geometries are described as well as the details of the processing to achieve chemical bonding of the PCD elements in a variety of support matrix carrier materials to form a unitary structure having a temperature stability up to about 1,200 degrees C.

Method for low pressure bonding of PCD bodies

A superhard material-metal composite product comprises a plurality of metal coated superhard particles (diamond or cubic boron nitride), and a binder alloy forming a cementing matrix which binds the coated superhard particles into a coherent mass. The binder alloy has a melting point below about 1300.degree. C. and is capable of wetting the metal coating on the superhard particles. The superhard material-metal composite product is formed by assembling the coated particles and the binder alloy in a graphite mold, and then hot pressing at temperatures and pressures well below the temperatures and pressures of the diamond forming region. The superhard component comprises about 40% to 75% by volume of the composite product. The superhard material-metal composite product is of intermediate quality and is particularly useful in earth boring bits for drilling soft rock formations having abrasive rock stringers therein.

Diamond metal composite cutter and method for making same

Superabrasive grits such as diamond or CBN is chemically bonded with a coating such as tungsten which is in turn bonded to a tool body providing superabrasive cutting tools such as saw blades, grinding wheels, drill bits and the like.

Chemically bonded superabrasive grit

An improved temperature stable synthetic polycrystalline diamond (PCD) product includes at least one temperature stable PCD integrally and chemically bonded to a matrix carrier support through a carbide forming layer which is of a thickness of at least about 1 micron, the layer on at least one surface of the PCD is in turn bonded to the matrix carrier. A wide variety of shapes, sizes and configurations of such products is achieved through relatively low temperature and relatively low pressure processing. Various products of various geometries are described as well as the details of the processing to achieve chemical bonding of the PCD elements in a variety of support matrix carrier materials to form a unitary structure having a temperature stability up to about 1,200 degrees C.

Low pressure bonding of PCD bodies and method

Multiple metal coated diamond grit for improved retention in a tool matrix comprises a first layer coating of a metal carbide of a strong carbide former, preferably chromium, titanium or zirconium, chemically bonded to the diamond and a second metal coating of an oxidation resistant carbide former, preferably tungsten or tantalum, chemically bonded to the first metal layer. A third metal layer coating of an alloying metal, preferably nickel, can also be added. In accordance with the method of the present invention, the first layer metal can be applied by metal vapor deposition. The second layer metal can be applied by chemical vapor deposition. The third layer of an alloying metal can be applied by electroless or electrolytic plating.

Multiple metal coated superabrasive grit and methods for their

Superabrasive cutting elements, backed compacts and methods for their manufacture are disclosed wherein metal coated superabrasive particles are cemented under HPHT conditions. The superabrasives bond to the metal of the coating and the metal coatings of adjacent particles bond to each other forming a matrix. A binding aid with thermal expansion characteristics close to that of the superabrasive particle can be infiltrated through or otherwise mixed with the particles to assist in the bonding between the metal coatings and to fill in voids. Catalyst and non-catalyst binding aids can also be used. Uncoated, smaller superabrasive particles can be interstitially dispersed among the coated particles to increase the superabrasive concentration and can self bond to form a cemented/sintered structure. Tungsten is a preferred metal coating and silicon is a preferred binding/sintering aid. The superabrasive can be diamond, cubic boron nitride, boron doped diamond or crushed sintered polycrystalline aggregates. The free-standing cutting element can have a brazeable layer and the compact can be backed with, for example, cemented tungsten carbide. Free-standing cutting elements can be thermally stable up to 1,200.degree. C. Backed compacts can be thermally stable up to 1,100.degree. C.

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Northboro, MA, United States of America

Chien-Min Sung