Polycrystalline diamond constructions comprises a diamond body attached to a metallic substrate, and having an engineered metal content. The body comprises bonded together diamond crystals with a metal material disposed interstitially between the crystals. A body working surface has metal content of 2 to 8 percent that increases moving away therefrom. A transition region between the body and substrate includes metal rich and metal depleted regions having controlled metal content that provides improved thermal expansion matching/reduced residual stress. A point in the body adjacent the metal rich zone has a metal content that is at least about 3 percent by weight greater than that at a body/substrate interface. The metal depleted zone metal content increases gradually moving from the body, and has a thickness greater than 1.25 mm. Metal depleted zone metal content changes less about 4 percent per millimeter moving along the substrate.

Polycrystalline diamond compacts (PDCs) include a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) table in which cobalt is alloyed with phosphorous to improve the thermal stability of the PCD table. For example, a PDC includes a substrate and a PCD table including an upper surface spaced from an interfacial surface that is bonded to the substrate. The PCD table includes a plurality of diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions. The PCD table further includes an alloy comprising at least one Group VIII metal and phosphorous. The alloy is disposed in at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions.

A tool for cutting, drilling or crushing of solid material, wherein the tool includes a cemented carbide body attached to a steel holder by a braze joint located between a base surface of the cemented carbide body and the steel holder. The cemented carbide body has a hard phase mainly of tungsten carbide, WC, and a binder consisting of cobalt, wherein the cobalt content of the cemented carbide body is equal to or lower than about 5.5 wt %. The cemented carbide body has a cobalt content gradient therein wherein the cobalt content increases towards the base surface and is at least 4.5 wt % at the base surface. The ratio of the cobalt content at the base surface to the cobalt content of the cemented carbide is 1.09. A method for producing the tool is also presented.

A tool for cutting, drilling or crushing of solid material, wherein the tool includes a cemented carbide body attached to a steel holder by a braze joint located between a base surface of the cemented carbide body and the steel holder. The cemented carbide body has a hard phase mainly of tungsten carbide, WC, and a binder consisting of cobalt, wherein the cobalt content of the cemented carbide body is equal to or lower than about 5.5 wt %. The cemented carbide body has a cobalt content gradient therein wherein the cobalt content increases towards the base surface and is at least 4.5 wt % at the base surface. The ratio of the cobalt content at the base surface to the cobalt content of the cemented carbide is 1.09. A method for producing the tool is also presented.

A composite body has a cermet member, a metal member and an intermediate member. The cermet member includes a cermet oxide phase and a cermet metal phase. The cermet oxide phase contains a Ni-containing oxide or an Fe-containing oxide. The cermet metal phase contains Ni. The intermediate layer contains Cu. The mass proportions of Cu in the cermet metal phase at points which are spaced apart by 10, 50, 100 and 1000 m from the interface between the cermet member and the intermediate layer to the cermet member side are denoted by C10, C50, C100 and C1000 (mass %). When the mass proportions of Cu in the cermet oxide phase at points which are spaced apart by 10 and 100 m from the interface to the cermet member side are denoted by M10 and M100 (mass %), C10>C50>C100>C1000, and 5>M10M100>5.

A cutting tool has a substrate of cemented carbide including WC and a binder phase. The cutting tool has a gradient surface zone with a thickness of between 50-400 m having a binder phase gradient with the lowest binder phase content in the outermost part of the gradient surface zone and wherein the cutting tool also includes free graphite. The present disclosure also relates to a method of making a cutting tool according to the above. The cemented carbide body shows improved resistance towards chemical wear when used for machining non-ferrous alloys such as Ti-alloys and Ni-based alloys.

A cutting tool has a substrate of cemented carbide including WC and a binder phase. The cutting tool has a gradient surface zone with a thickness of between 50-400 m having a binder phase gradient with the lowest binder phase content in the outermost part of the gradient surface zone and wherein the cutting tool also includes free graphite. The present disclosure also relates to a method of making a cutting tool according to the above. The cemented carbide body shows improved resistance towards chemical wear when used for machining non-ferrous alloys such as Ti-alloys and Ni-based alloys.

Polycrystalline diamond compacts (PDCs) include a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) table in which cobalt is alloyed with phosphorous to improve the thermal stability of the PCD table. For example, a PDC includes a substrate and a PCD table including an upper surface spaced from an interfacial surface that is bonded to the substrate. The PCD table includes a plurality of diamond grains defining a plurality of interstitial regions. The PCD table further includes an alloy comprising at least one Group VIII metal and phosphorous. The alloy is disposed in at least a portion of the plurality of interstitial regions.

Thermally stable diamond constructions comprise a diamond body having a plurality of bonded diamond crystals, a plurality of interstitial regions disposed among the crystals, and a substrate attached to the body. The body includes a working surface and a side surface extending away from the working surface to the substrate. The body comprises a first region adjacent the side surface that is substantially free of a catalyst material and that extends a partial depth into the diamond body. The first region can further extend to at least a portion of the working surface and a partial depth therefrom into the diamond body. The diamond body can be formed from natural diamond grains and/or a mixture of natural and synthetic diamond grains. A surface of the diamond body is treated to provide the first region, and before treatment is finished to an approximate final dimension.

Thermally stable diamond constructions comprise a diamond body having a plurality of bonded diamond crystals, a plurality of interstitial regions disposed among the crystals, and a substrate attached to the body. The body includes a working surface and a side surface extending away from the working surface to the substrate. The body comprises a first region adjacent the side surface that is substantially free of a catalyst material and that extends a partial depth into the diamond body. The first region can further extend to at least a portion of the working surface and a partial depth therefrom into the diamond body. The diamond body can be formed from natural diamond grains and/or a mixture of natural and synthetic diamond grains. A surface of the diamond body is treated to provide the first region, and before treatment is finished to an approximate final dimension.