General Electric Company

Roy E Tuft

Robert C DeVries

Herbert M Strong

Minyoung Lee

Lawrence E Szala

Richard M Chrenko

A polycrystalline diamond body infiltrated by a silicon atom-containing metal (e.g., silicon alloy) is bonded to a substrate comprising cemented carbide with a barrier of refractory material extending between the diamonds cemented together with silicon atom-containing binder and the substrate substantially precluding migration of the cementing medium (e.g., cobalt) from the carbide substrate into contact with the silicon atom-containing bonding medium in the diamond body. The process comprises subjecting a mass of diamond powder, a quantity of silicon atom-containing metal binder material, a cemented carbide body and a barrier made of material selected from the group consisting of tantalum, vanadium, molybdenum, zirconium, tungsten and alloys thereof to the simultaneous application of elevated temperature and pressure.

Polycrystalline diamond and cemented carbide substrate and synthesizing

A smooth surface of a diamond or cubic boron nitride crystal is bombarded with ions sufficiently to penetrate the surface and impart an ion implanted region in the crystal in a predetermined pattern, the resulting crystal is charged electrostatically, and a powder is applied to the charged smooth surface producing a pattern thereon which is a delineation of the implanted region and can be used to identify or fingerprint the crystal.

Fingerprinting crystals

An adherently bonded polycrystalline diamond body is produced by forming a charge composed of a mass of diamond crystals in contact with a mass of eutectiferous silicon-rich alloy wherein the alloy is in contact or in association with hexagonal boron nitride, confining such charge within a reaction chamber, subjecting the confined charge to a pressure of at least 25 kilobars, heating the pressure-maintained charge to a temperature sufficient to melt the alloy and at which no significant graphitization of the diamond occurs whereby the alloy infiltrates through the interstices between the diamond crystals producing said body.

Polycrystalline diamond body and process

Type Ib synthetic diamond crystal is annealed at an annealing temperature ranging from about 1500.degree. C. to about 2200.degree. C. under a pressure which prevents significant graphitization of the diamond during the annealing to convert at least about 20% of the total amount of type Ib nitrogen present in the crystal to type Ia nitrogen.

Annealing synthetic diamond type Ib

A mass of diamond crystals contacting a mass of elemental silicon are confined within a pressure-transmitting medium. The resulting charge assembly is subjected to a pressure of at least 25 kilobars causing application of isostatic pressure to the contacting masses which dimensionally stabilizes them and increases the density of the mass of diamond crystals. The resulting pressure-maintained charge assembly is heated to a temperature sufficient to melt the silicon and at which no significant graphitization of the diamond occurs whereby the silicon is infiltrated through the interstices between the diamond crystals producing, upon cooling, an adherently bonded integral body.

Silicon carbide and silicon bonded polycrystalline diamond body and

A diamond or cubic boron nitride crystal containing growth discontinuities resulting from changes in the environment of the growing crystal and having at least one smooth outside surface which intersects the growth discontinuities is charged electrostatically, a fine powder is applied to the charged smooth surface and the applied powder produces a pattern on the charged surface which is a delineation of the intersected growth discontinuities.

Type Ib or mixed type Ib-Ia natural diamond crystal is annealed at an annealing temperature ranging from about 1500.degree. C to about 2200.degree. C under a pressure which prevents significant graphitization of the diamond during the annealing to convert at least 20% of the total amount of type Ib nitrogen present in the crystal to type Ia nitrogen.

Annealing type Ib or mixed type Ib-Ia natural diamond crystal

Improvements are provided in reaction vessel construction used in the growth of diamond by the process disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,407 -- Wentorf, Jr. In assembly of the reaction vessel of this invention, the plug of catalyst-solvent material is disposed between the source of carbon and the diamond seed material as in the Wentorf, Jr. patent and, in addition, the diamond seed material is separated from the catalyst-solvent plug by means for isolating the diamond seed material from the catalyst-solvent material until after the latter has become saturated with carbon from the source of carbon. In addition, preferably the under surface of the plug of catalyst-solvent metal is covered with means for suppressing diamond nucleation. The nucleation suppressing means is usually in the form of a disc and may completely cover the underside of the catalyst-solvent plug or may have a hole therethrough in juxtaposition to the diamond seed/isolating means combination(s). When both the isolating means and the nucleation suppressing means are employed, capability is provided for simultaneously preventing dissolution of the diamond seed and suppressing spurious diamond nucleation.

Growing community of inventors

Guilderland Center, NY, United States of America

Roy E Tuft