A method of manufacturing polycrystalline abrasive elements consisting of micron, sub-micron or nano-sized ultrahard abrasives dispersed in micron, sub-micron or nano-sized matrix materials. A plurality of ultrahard abrasive particles having vitreophilic surfaces are coated with a matrix precursor material in a refined colloidal process and then treated to render them suitable for sintering. The matrix precursor material can be converted to an oxide, nitride, carbide, oxynitride, oxycarbide, or carbonitride, or an elemental form thereof. The coated ultrahard abrasive particles are consolidated and sintered at a pressure and temperature at which they are crystallographically or thermodynamically stable.

Embodiments of the invention relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) and methods of fabricating such PDCs. In an embodiment, a PDC includes a substrate and a preformed polycrystalline diamond table including an interfacial surface bonded to the substrate and an opposing working surface. The preformed polycrystalline diamond table includes a proximal region extending from the interfacial surface to an intermediate location within the preformed polycrystalline diamond table that includes a metallic infiltrant infiltrated from the substrate, and a distal region extending from the working surface to the intermediate location that is substantially free of the metallic infiltrant. A boundary exists between the proximal and distal regions that has a nonplanar irregular profile characteristic of the metallic infiltrant having been infiltrated into the preformed polycrystalline diamond table.

Embodiments of the invention relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) and methods of fabricating such PDCs. In an embodiment, a PDC includes a substrate and a preformed polycrystalline diamond table including an interfacial surface bonded to the substrate and an opposing working surface. The preformed polycrystalline diamond table includes a proximal region extending from the interfacial surface to an intermediate location within the preformed polycrystalline diamond table that includes a metallic infiltrant infiltrated from the substrate, and a distal region extending from the working surface to the intermediate location that is substantially free of the metallic infiltrant. A boundary exists between the proximal and distal regions that has a nonplanar irregular profile characteristic of the metallic infiltrant having been infiltrated into the preformed polycrystalline diamond table.

A castable, moldable, or extrudable magnesium-based alloy that includes one or more insoluble additives. The insoluble additives can be used to enhance the mechanical properties of the structure, such as ductility and/or tensile strength. The final structure can be enhanced by heat treatment, as well as deformation processing such as extrusion, forging, or rolling, to further improve the strength of the final structure as compared to the non-enhanced structure. The magnesium-based composite has improved thermal and mechanical properties by the modification of grain boundary properties through the addition of insoluble nanoparticles to the magnesium alloys. The magnesium-based composite can have a thermal conductivity that is greater than 180 W/m−K, and/or ductility exceeding 15-20% elongation to failure.

This invention relates to powder metallurgy, more specifically, to methods of fabricating hard alloy items. The invention can be used as an iron, cobalt or nickel base binder for the fabrication of diamond cutting tools for the construction industry and stone cutting, including segmented cutting discs of different designs and wires for reinforced concrete and asphalt cutting used in the renovation of highway pavements, runways in airports, upgrading of metallurgical plants, nuclear power plants, bridges and other structures, monolithic reinforced concrete cutting drills, as well as discs and wires for the quarry production of natural stone and large scale manufacturing of facing construction materials. This invention achieves the objective of providing binders for the fabrication of diamond tools having higher wear resistance without a significant increase in the sintering temperature, as well as higher hardness, strength and impact toughness. The achievement of these objectives by adding an iron group metal as the main component of the binder composition and alloying additives in the form of nanosized powder in accordance with this invention is illustrated with several examples of different type binders for the fabrication of diamond tools.

This invention relates to powder metallurgy, more specifically, to methods of fabricating hard alloy items. The invention can be used as an iron, cobalt or nickel base binder for the fabrication of diamond cutting tools for the construction industry and stone cutting, including segmented cutting discs of different designs and wires for reinforced concrete and asphalt cutting used in the renovation of highway pavements, runways in airports, upgrading of metallurgical plants, nuclear power plants, bridges and other structures, monolithic reinforced concrete cutting drills, as well as discs and wires for the quarry production of natural stone and large scale manufacturing of facing construction materials. This invention achieves the objective of providing binders for the fabrication of diamond tools having higher wear resistance without a significant increase in the sintering temperature, as well as higher hardness, strength and impact toughness. The achievement of these objectives by adding an iron group metal as the main component of the binder composition and alloying additives in the form of nanosized powder in accordance with this invention is illustrated with several examples of different type binders for the fabrication of diamond tools.

A polycrystalline diamond (PCD) with diamond grains includes a first zone of the diamond grains and a second zone of the diamond grains. The first zone forms a working surface and a first catalyzing material is disposed within voids of the diamond grains in the first zone. A second catalyzing material is bonded to the diamond grains disposed in the second zone. The first catalyzing material in the first zone is connected to the diamond grains disposed in the first zone less intimately than the second catalyzing material is bonded to the diamond grains in the second zone.

A polycrystalline diamond (PCD) with diamond grains includes a first zone of the diamond grains and a second zone of the diamond grains. The first zone forms a working surface and a first catalyzing material is disposed within voids of the diamond grains in the first zone. A second catalyzing material is bonded to the diamond grains disposed in the second zone. The first catalyzing material in the first zone is connected to the diamond grains disposed in the first zone less intimately than the second catalyzing material is bonded to the diamond grains in the second zone.

Embodiments relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) including a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table in which a metal-solvent catalyst is alloyed with at least one alloying element to improve thermal stability of the PCD table. In an embodiment, a PDC includes a substrate and a PCD table bonded to the substrate. The PCD table includes diamond grains defining interstitial regions. The PCD table includes an alloy comprising at least one Group VIII metal and at least one metallic alloying element that lowers a temperature at which melting of the at least one Group VIII metal begins. The alloy includes one or more solid solution phases comprising the at least one Group VIII metal and the at least one metallic alloying element and one or more intermediate compounds comprising the at least one Group VIII metal and the at least one metallic alloying element.

Embodiments relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) including a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table in which a metal-solvent catalyst is alloyed with at least one alloying element to improve thermal stability of the PCD table. In an embodiment, a PDC includes a substrate and a PCD table bonded to the substrate. The PCD table includes diamond grains defining interstitial regions. The PCD table includes an alloy comprising at least one Group VIII metal and at least one metallic alloying element that lowers a temperature at which melting of the at least one Group VIII metal begins. The alloy includes one or more solid solution phases comprising the at least one Group VIII metal and the at least one metallic alloying element and one or more intermediate compounds comprising the at least one Group VIII metal and the at least one metallic alloying element.