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.

Various implementations and embodiments relate to three-dimensional open cellular diamond micro-truss structures and methods.

A reaction-bonded silicon carbide (SiC) body is produced by: providing a preform including ceramic elements and carbon, and one or more surface features; providing a powder which includes diamond particles and carbon; locating the powder in the surface feature(s); and infiltrating the preform and the powder with molten silicon (Si) to form reaction-bonded SiC in the preform, and to form reaction-bonded SiC coatings on the diamond particles. The present disclosure also relates to a device/component which includes: a main body portion and discrete elements located at least partially within the main body portion. The main body portion may include reaction-bonded SiC and Si, but not diamond, while the discrete elements include diamond particles, reaction-bonded SiC coatings surrounding the diamond particles, and Si. According to the present disclosure, diamond may be advantageously located only where it is needed.

A method of forming a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component having an engineered surface includes applying a surface slurry comprising first particulate solids in a liquid carrier to an outer surface of a ceramic fiber preform. The surface slurry is dried to remove the liquid carrier, and thus a surface slurry layer comprising the first particulate solids is formed on the outer surface. The surface slurry layer is polished to a predetermined thickness and/or surface finish. After polishing, a ceramic tape comprising second particulate solids is applied to the surface slurry layer, and pressure is applied to attach the ceramic tape to the surface slurry layer and to induce consolidation of the ceramic tape and the surface slurry layer. Thus, a multilayer surface region comprising the surface slurry layer and a ceramic tape layer is formed on the ceramic fiber preform. The ceramic fiber preform and the multilayer surface region are infiltrated with a molten material, and, upon cooling, a CMC component having an engineered surface is formed.

The disclosure describes a method for forming a surface layer of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) article. The technique includes depositing a slurry on a surface of an infiltrated CMC. The slurry includes a carrier material, a binder, a plasticizer, and solid particles. The solid particles include a plurality of fine ceramic particles defining a fine particle average size less than about 5 micrometers. The method further includes drying the slurry to form an article having an outer surface layer that includes the solid particles on the infiltrated CMC. The method further includes machining at least a portion of the outer surface layer of the article. The method further includes infiltrating the article with a molten infiltrant to form a composite article.

Bearing assemblies that include a plurality of polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) bearing elements, bearing apparatuses including such bearing assemblies, and methods of operating and fabricating such bearing assemblies and apparatuses are disclosed. In an embodiment, the plurality of PCD bearing elements of one or more of the bearing assemblies disclosed herein include at least one first PCD bearing element. At least a portion of the first PCD bearing element exhibits a coercivity of about 125 Oersteds or more and a specific magnetic saturation of about 14 Gauss.Math.cm.sup.3/gram or less. The first PCD bearing element includes a bearing surface with at least one groove formed therein. In an embodiment, the plurality of PCD bearing elements also include at least one second PCD bearing element. The second PCD bearing element exhibits a coercivity that is less than and a specific magnetic saturation that is greater than the first PCD bearing element.

A super hard polycrystalline construction is disclosed as comprising a body of super hard material having a first fraction of super hard grains in a matrix of a second fraction of super hard grains. The average grain size of the first fraction is between around 1.5 to around 10 times the average grain size of the second fraction and the first fraction comprises around 5 vol % to around 30 vol % of the grains of super hard material in the body.

A system and method for forming a porous ceramic preform is provided. The method may include forming a stacked powder structure including a binder layer and a powder layer on the binder layer. The binder layer may be formed by depositing a binder with a spray nozzle on a substrate. The powder layer may be formed by depositing a powder on the binder layer. The porous ceramic preform may be formed by heating the stacked powder structure to pyrolyze the binder. The porous ceramic preform is configured to be infiltrated by a molten material. The substrate may comprise a ceramic fiber preform. After melt infiltration of the porous ceramic preform and the ceramic fiber preform, a densified ceramic feature having a predetermined geometry may be formed on a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) component.

A lithography based method for the manufacture of diamond composite materials in which green bodies are prepared by a layer-by-layer construction with resulting green bodies de-bound and sintered to achieve a dense high hardness material.

A laminated ceramic sintered body board for an electronic device includes a ceramic sintered body board and a flattening film that is provided on an upper surface of the ceramic sintered body board and contains a thermally conductive filler, and the flattening film contains a thermally conductive filler.