A heterogeneous composite consisting of near-nano ceramic clusters dispersed within a ductile matrix. The composite is formed through the high temperature compaction of a starting powder consisting of a core of ceramic nanoparticles held together with metallic binder. This core is clad with a ductile metal such that when the final powder is consolidated, the ductile metal forms a tough, near-zero contiguity matrix. The material is consolidated using any means that will maintain its heterogeneous structure.

A heterogeneous composite consisting of near-nano ceramic clusters dispersed within a ductile matrix. The composite is formed through the high temperature compaction of a starting powder consisting of a core of ceramic nanoparticles held together with metallic binder. This core is clad with a ductile metal such that when the final powder is consolidated, the ductile metal forms a tough, near-zero contiguity matrix. The material is consolidated using any means that will maintain its heterogeneous structure.

A cutting table for a cutting element, including: a diamond phase; a tungsten carbide phase; a cobalt-tungsten metallic phase; and an intermetallic phase comprising Co.sub.3WC.sub.x, where 0≤x≤1. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing a cutting element, the method including: sintering diamond and tungsten carbide particles in the presence of Co and W to about 1520° C. or greater under pressure of about 57 kbar or greater to form a hard metal-diamond composite compact and solubilize carbon and tungsten within the compact; cooling the cutting element at about 1° C./sec or greater; and subsequent to cooling the cutting element, heat-treating the cutting element to precipitate carbon and tungsten in the compact as an intermetallic phase.

A component obtainable by a process which includes providing a composition and sintering the composition at a sintering temperature of from 1250° C. to 1400° C. for a period of from 3 to 15 minutes. The composition includes hard material particles with an inner core of fused tungsten carbide and an outer shell of tungsten carbide, and a binder metal selected from Co, Ni, Fe and alloys with at least one metal selected from Co, Ni and Fe.

A component obtainable by a process which includes providing a composition and sintering the composition at a sintering temperature of from 1250° C. to 1400° C. for a period of from 3 to 15 minutes. The composition includes hard material particles with an inner core of fused tungsten carbide and an outer shell of tungsten carbide, and a binder metal selected from Co, Ni, Fe and alloys with at least one metal selected from Co, Ni and Fe.

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.

A base material according to an aspect of the present disclosure is made of a cemented carbide. The cemented carbide includes a first hard phase and a binder phase. The first hard phase consists of WC particles. The binder phase includes at least one element selected from Co and Ni. The base material includes a body portion, and a surface portion provided on a surface of the body portion. The surface portion has a thickness less than or equal to an average particle size in the first hard phase. A ratio (B/A) of an area proportion (B) of the binder phase in a surface of the surface portion to an area proportion (A) of the binder phase in a cross section of the body portion is not less than 1.2 and not more than 2.0.

A base material according to an aspect of the present disclosure is made of a cemented carbide. The cemented carbide includes a first hard phase and a binder phase. The first hard phase consists of WC particles. The binder phase includes at least one element selected from Co and Ni. The base material includes a body portion, and a surface portion provided on a surface of the body portion. The surface portion has a thickness less than or equal to an average particle size in the first hard phase. A ratio (B/A) of an area proportion (B) of the binder phase in a surface of the surface portion to an area proportion (A) of the binder phase in a cross section of the body portion is not less than 1.2 and not more than 2.0.

A base material according to an aspect of the present disclosure is made of a cemented carbide. The cemented carbide includes a first hard phase and a binder phase. The first hard phase consists of WC particles. The binder phase includes at least one element selected from Co and Ni. The base material includes a body portion, and a surface portion provided on a surface of the body portion. The surface portion has a thickness less than or equal to an average particle size in the first hard phase. A ratio (B/A) of an area proportion (B) of the binder phase in a surface of the surface portion to an area proportion (A) of the binder phase in a cross section of the body portion is not less than 1.2 and not more than 2.0.

A polycrystalline super hard construction is disclosed having a first region comprising a body of thermally stable polycrystalline super hard material having an exposed surface forming a working surface, and a peripheral side edge, the polycrystalline super hard material comprising a plurality of grains of super hard material; a second region forming a substrate to the first region; and a third region interposed between the first and second regions. The third region extends across a surface of the second region along an interface, the interface comprising a portion having an uneven topology and a substantially planar portion, the third region comprising a composite material including a first phase comprising a plurality of non-intergrown diamond grains, and a matrix material.