Polycrystalline compacts include an interface between first and second volumes of a body of inter-bonded grains of hard material. The first volume is at least substantially free of interstitial material, and the second volume includes interstitial material in interstitial spaces between surfaces of the inter-bonded grains of hard material. The interface between the first and second volumes is configured, located and oriented such that cracks originating in the compact during use of the compacts and propagating along the interface generally toward a central axis of the compacts will propagate generally toward a back surface and away from a front cutting face of the compacts at an acute angle or angles. Methods of forming polycrystalline compacts involve the formation of such an interface within the compacts.

An abrasive article includes an abrasive body having a bond material, abrasive particles contained within the bond material, and an electronic assembly coupled to the abrasive body, wherein the electronic assembly comprises at least one electronic device. In an embodiment, the electronic assembly is coupled to the abrasive body in a tamper-proof manner.

An abrasive article includes an abrasive body having a bond material, abrasive particles contained within the bond material, and an electronic assembly coupled to the abrasive body, wherein the electronic assembly comprises at least one electronic device. In an embodiment, the electronic assembly is coupled to the abrasive body in a tamper-proof manner.

Embodiments disclosed herein are directed to energy beam ablation machining methods that are used to machine polycrystalline diamond tables (e.g., polycrystalline diamond compacts that each includes polycrystalline diamond tables). Embodiments disclosed herein also are directed to polycrystalline diamond tables machined according to at least one of the energy beam ablation machining methods disclosed herein.

In an embodiment, a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) includes a substrate and a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) table bonded to the substrate. The PCD table includes an upper surface. The PCD table includes a first PCD region including bonded-together diamond grains and exhibits a first diamond density. At least a portion of the first PCD region extending inwardly from the working surface is substantially free of metal-solvent catalyst. The PCD table includes an intermediate second PCD region bonded to the substrate, which is disposed between the first PCD region and the substrate. The second PCD region includes bonded-together diamond grains defining interstitial regions, with at least a portion of the interstitial regions including metal-solvent catalyst disposed therein. The second PCD region exhibits a second diamond density that is greater than that of the first diamond density of the first PCD region.

Polycrystalline diamond cutting elements having enhanced thermal stability, drill bits incorporating the same, and methods of making the same are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a cutting element includes a substrate having a metal carbide and a polycrystalline diamond body bonded to the substrate. The polycrystalline diamond body includes a plurality of diamond grains bonded to adjacent diamond grains by diamond-to-diamond bonds and a plurality of interstitial regions positioned between adjacent diamond grains. At least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions comprise lead or lead alloy, a catalyst material, metal carbide, or combinations thereof. At least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions comprise lead or lead alloy that coat portions of the adjacent diamond grains such that the lead or lead alloy reduces contact between the diamond and the catalyst.

The present disclosure relates to an industrial device including a PCD element located in a recess of the industrial device. The PCD element and recess may contain an aligned mechanical lock. The device may also include a brazing material located along at least a portion of an interface between the PCD element and the recess. In a more specific embodiment, the industrial device may be an earth-boring drill bit, such as a fixed cutter drill bit, and the PCD element may be PCD cutter. In specific embodiments, the mechanical lock may include at least one ridge located at an end of the PCD element and in an end wall of the recess, at least one ridge located along a side of the PCD element and in a side wall of the recess, or at least an upper wall of the recess.

A polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC), which is attached or bonded to a substrate to form a cutter for a drill bit, is comprised of sintered polycrystalline diamond interspersed with a seed material which has a hexagonal close packed (HCP) crystalline structure. A region of the sintered polycrystalline diamond structure, near one or more of its working surfaces, which has been seeded with an HCP seed material prior to sintering, is leached to remove catalyst. Selectively seeding portions or regions of a sintered polycrystalline diamond structure permits differing leach rates to form leached regions with differing distances or depths and geometries.

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. In an embodiment, a method includes forming a PCD table in the presence of a metal-solvent catalyst in a first high-pressure/high-temperature (HPHT) process. The method includes at least partially leaching the PCD table to remove at least a portion of the metal-solvent catalyst therefrom to form an at least partially leached PCD table. The method includes subjecting the at least partially leached PCD table and a substrate to a second HPHT process effective to at least partially infiltrate the at least partially leached PCD table with a cobalt-based alloy infiltrant having a composition at or near a eutectic composition of the cobalt-based alloy infiltrant.

Methods of forming a polycrystalline table may involve disposing a plurality of particles comprising a superabrasive material, a substrate comprising a hard material, and a catalyst material in a mold. The plurality of particles may be partially sintered in the presence of the catalyst material to form a brown polycrystalline table having a first permeability attached to an end of the substrate. The substrate may be removed from the brown polycrystalline table and catalyst material may be removed from the brown polycrystalline table. The brown polycrystalline table may then be fully sintered to form a polycrystalline table having a reduced, second permeability. Intermediate structures formed during a process of attaching a polycrystalline table to a substrate may include a substantially fully leached brown polycrystalline table. The substantially fully leached brown polycrystalline table may include a plurality of interbonded grains of a superabrasive material.