Sii Megadiamond, Inc.

Gary R Peterson

M Duane Horton

A method is provided for producing multiple polycrystalline diamond and/or CBN bodies. The method involves mixing a temporary binding agent, such as paraffin, with a quantity of the crystals and then molding or extruding that mixture to produce temporarily held bodies. The temporarily held bodies are then placed in a reaction chamber and surrounded by a pressure transmitting medium, such as powdered cemented tungsten carbide. Preferably, the paraffin is removed by heat and vacuum. The reaction chamber is then pressed and heated thereby creating discrete polycrystalline diamond and/or CBN bodies of approximately the same shape and size as the temporarily held bodies. The preferred embodiment also includes the step of placing a separating layer of cobalt and graphite powder around the temporarily held bodies before they are surrounded by the pressure transmitting medium.

Method for producing multiple polycrystalline bodies

A polycrystalline diamond (PCD) body with improved thermal stability is disclosed which comprises a PCD body which has had at least one of its previously empty pores infiltrated by a silicon containing alloy. According to the process of the invention, a porous PCD body is obtained, preferably by acid leaching a PCD body which was formed in the presence of a metal catalyst such as cobalt. The porous PCD body is then surrounded by either the desired silicon containing alloy, or by the constituents of that alloy, each preferably in powdered form. The PCD body with its surrounding material is then heated and pressed to temperatures sufficient to melt the surrounding material (thereby forming the silicon alloy if not already formed) and to cause it to infiltrate into the pores. After the infiltration, it is preferred to remove the excess silicon containing alloy from the external surfaces of the PCD body, such as by an acid bath. It is also preferred to include several porous PCD bodies per process cycle. The metal component of the alloy together with the relative amounts of silicon can be selected in order to achieve the lowest melting point of the alloy and the best performance characteristics of the infiltrated PCD bodies.

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Orem, UT, United States of America

Gary R Peterson