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 polycrystalline diamond construction comprising a body of polycrystalline diamond material formed of a mass of diamond grains exhibiting inter-granular bonding, wherein between around 50 wt % to around 99 wt % of the diamond grains in a cross-section of the body of polycrystalline diamond material taken at any orientation have a sectorial growth structure. A method of making the polycrystalline diamond construction is also disclosed.

Embodiments relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (PDCs) including a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) table having a diamond grain size distribution selected for improving performance and/or leachability. In an embodiment, a PDC includes a PCD table bonded to a substrate. The PCD table includes a plurality of diamond grains exhibiting diamond-to-diamond bonding therebetween. The plurality of diamond grains includes a first amount being about 5 weight % to about 65 weight % of the plurality of diamond grains and a second amount being about 18 weight % to about 95 weight % of the plurality of diamond grains. The first amount exhibits a first average grain size of about 0.5 m to about 30 m. The second amount exhibits a second average grain size that is greater than the first average grain size and is about 10 m to about 65 m. Other embodiments are directed to methods of forming PDCs, and various applications for such PDCs in rotary drill bits, bearing apparatuses, and wire-drawing dies.

The present disclosure relates to cutting elements incorporating polycrystalline diamond bodies used for subterranean drilling applications, and more particularly, to polycrystalline diamond bodies having a high diamond content which are configured to provide improved properties of thermal stability and wear resistance, while maintaining a desired degree of impact resistance, when compared to prior polycrystalline diamond bodies. In various embodiments disclosed herein, a cutting element with high diamond content includes a modified PCD structure and/or a modified interface (between the PCD body and a substrate), to provide superior performance.

A method of forming polycrystalline diamond comprised placing a plurality of graphene nano-platelets into a capsule; and subjecting the platelets to a pressure of around 10 GPa to around 20 GPa and a temperature of around 1600 degrees Celsius to around 3000 degrees Celcius to convert the graphene platelets to nano-polycrystalline diamond. There is also disclosed a polycrystalline super hard construction comprising a polycrystalline diamond region comprising polycrystalline diamond material formed according to said method.

A super hard polycrystalline construction comprises a body of polycrystalline super hard material comprising a first fraction of super hard grains and a second fraction of super hard grains, the first fraction having a greater average grain size than the super hard grains in the second fraction, the super hard grains in the first and second fraction having a peripheral surface. The super hard grains in the first fraction are bonded along at least a portion of the peripheral surface to at least a portion of a plurality of super hard grains in the second fraction, the super hard grains in the first fraction being spaced from adjacent grains in the first fraction by a distance of between around 50 to around 500 nm.

A composite polycrystal contains polycrystalline diamond formed of diamond grains that are directly bonded mutually, and compressed graphite dispersed in the polycrystalline diamond.

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. The 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 method of making molecularly doped nanodiamond. A versatile method for doping diamond by adding dopants into a carbon precursor and producing diamond at high pressure, high temperature conditions. Molecularly doped nanodiamonds that have direct incorporation of dopants and therefore without the need for ion implantation. Molecularly-doped diamonds that have fewer lattice defects than those made with ion implantation.

A transition metal catalyst free polycrystalline diamond compact having enhanced thermal stability is disclosed herein. The diamond compact may be attached to a hard metal substrate. The polycrystalline diamond body includes a plurality of diamond grains bonded to adjacent diamond grains by diamond-to-diamond bonds. Sintering of the PCD and the formation of diamond-to-diamond bonding is achieved by transforming graphene treated diamond crystals that are blended with non-metal additives at high pressure and high temperature into a diamond compact that is free of transition metal catalysts. Non-metal additives include vitreous and other non-equilibrium forms of carbon as well as Sr-, K- and Ca-containing carbon sources.