A method of making polycrystalline diamond material includes providing a fraction of diamond particles or grains and a sintering additive, the sintering additive comprising a carbon source of nano-sized particles or grains, forming the diamond particles and sintering additive into an aggregated mass, consolidating the aggregated mass and a binder material to form a green body, and subjecting the green body to conditions of pressure and temperature at which diamond is more thermodynamically stable than graphite and for a time sufficient to consume the sintering additive, sintering it and forming polycrystalline diamond material that is thermodynamically and crystallographically stable and is substantially devoid of any nano-structures.

A method of making polycrystalline diamond material includes providing a fraction of diamond particles or grains and a sintering additive, the sintering additive comprising a carbon source of nano-sized particles or grains, forming the diamond particles and sintering additive into an aggregated mass, consolidating the aggregated mass and a binder material to form a green body, and subjecting the green body to conditions of pressure and temperature at which diamond is more thermodynamically stable than graphite and for a time sufficient to consume the sintering additive, sintering it and forming polycrystalline diamond material that is thermodynamically and crystallographically stable and is substantially devoid of any nano-structures.

A superabrasive compact and a method of making the superabrasive compact are disclosed. A superabrasive compact may include a diamond table and a substrate. The diamond table may be attached to the substrate. The substrate may have a metric of being defined as a ratio of carbon content over tungsten carbide content, wherein the metric ranges from about 6.13% to about 7.5%.

Superabrasive compacts and methods of making superabrasive compacts are disclosed. A superabrasive compact includes a polycrystalline diamond table and a substrate attached to the polycrystalline diamond table. The substrate includes a hard metal carbide and a binder having a compound with a composition of A.sub.xB.sub.yC.sub.z, where A and B are transition metals, where C is carbon, and where 0≦x≦7, 0≦y≦7, x+y=7, and 0≦z≦3.

Superabrasive compacts and methods of making superabrasive compacts are disclosed. A superabrasive compact includes a polycrystalline diamond table and a substrate attached to the polycrystalline diamond table. The substrate includes a hard metal carbide and a binder having a compound with a composition of A.sub.xB.sub.yC.sub.z, where A and B are transition metals, where C is carbon, and where 0≦x≦7, 0≦y≦7, x+y=7, and 0≦z≦3.

This disclosure relates in general to three dimensional (“3D”) printers having a configuration that prepares a three-dimensional object by using a feedstock comprising a metal or a polymer compound and a carbon coating formed on a surface of the compound. This disclosure also relates to such feedstocks and their preparation methods. This disclosure further relates to 3D composite objects prepared by using such printers and feedstocks. This disclosure also relates to carbon containing photocurable formulations and methods for their preparation. This disclosure further relates to electrically conducting 3D polymer composites prepared by using such carbon containing photocurable formulations.

There are provided methods and systems for creating multi-phase covetics. For example, there is provided a process for making a composite material. The process includes forming a multi-phase covetic. The forming includes heating a melt including a metal in a molten state and a carbon source to a first temperature threshold to form metal-carbon bonds. The forming further includes subsequently heating the melt to a second temperature threshold, the second temperature threshold being greater than the first temperature threshold. The second temperature threshold is a temperature at or above which ordered multi-phase covetics form in the melt.

A method of processing a superabrasive element includes providing a superabrasive element including a polycrystalline diamond table that includes a metallic material disposed in interstitial spaces defined within the polycrystalline diamond table. The polycrystalline diamond table includes a superabrasive face and a superabrasive side surface extending around an outer periphery of the superabrasive face. The method also includes leaching the metallic material from at least a volume of the polycrystalline diamond table to produce a leached volume in the polycrystalline diamond table by (1) exposing at least a portion of the polycrystalline diamond table to a processing solution, (2) exposing an electrode to the processing solution, and (3) applying a charge to the electrode such that a voltage is generated between the polycrystalline diamond table and the electrode and the voltage is applied to the processing solution.

A method of processing a superabrasive element includes providing a superabrasive element including a polycrystalline diamond table that includes a metallic material disposed in interstitial spaces defined within the polycrystalline diamond table. The polycrystalline diamond table includes a superabrasive face and a superabrasive side surface extending around an outer periphery of the superabrasive face. The method also includes leaching the metallic material from at least a volume of the polycrystalline diamond table to produce a leached volume in the polycrystalline diamond table by (1) exposing at least a portion of the polycrystalline diamond table to a processing solution, (2) exposing an electrode to the processing solution, and (3) applying a charge to the electrode such that a voltage is generated between the polycrystalline diamond table and the electrode and the voltage is applied to the processing solution.

Embodiments of the invention relate to methods of making articles having portions of polycrystalline diamond bonded to a surface of a substrate and polycrystalline diamond compacts made using the same. In an embodiment, a molding technique is disclosed for forming cutting tools comprising polycrystalline diamond portions bonded to the outer surface of a substrate.