The present disclosure describes a compression device, a compression process, a method of producing synthetic materials and a method of sample characterization. The present disclosure belongs to the fields of Physics, Chemistry and Engineering.

A press base assembly, a strengthening ring for use with press bases and related methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, a press base assembly includes a press base having a body that includes a piston cavity at one end. The body, at a second end opposite that of the piston cavity, may exhibit a desired geometry. A strengthening ring may be shaped, sized and configured to substantially mate with the geometry of the second end of the body and be placed thereover. For example, the geometry of the second end may be substantially circular exhibiting a particular diameter and circumference. The strengthening ring may have substantially circular internal surface sized and configured such that the strengthening ring is positioned on the second end of the body in a manner that results in an interference fit between the two components.

High pressure presses, components for high pressure presses and related methods are provided herein. In one embodiment of the invention, a press base may include a piston cavity formed in the press base and a piston cavity sleeve positioned in the piston cavity. The piston cavity sleeve may include a wall having an outer surface and an inner surface opposite the outer surface. The piston cavity sleeve may further include a floor having an upper surface and a lower surface opposite the upper surface. An outer radius may be formed at a juncture of the outer surface of the wall and lower surface of the floor and an inner radius may be formed at a juncture of the inner surface of the wall and upper surface of the floor. The inner radius may exhibit a radius of curvature that is greater than a radius of curvature of the outer radius.

A mold for producing a green compact using powder metallurgy processes has an upper punch and a lower punch which are movable along a common press axis and a die body with a charging chute for receiving powder material. The die body has an upper region in which the upper punch is movably guided along the press axis in the charging chute, and a lower region in which the lower punch is movably guided along the press axis in the charging chute. Two cross slides realize a forming region which determines the lateral outside contour of the green compact, and are arranged on the die body so as to be displaceable in a direction which deviates from the press axis. The two cross slides only move into contact with one another when the two cross slides are arranged in their respective end position.

Polycrystalline diamond bodies having an annular region of diamond grains and a core region of diamond grains and methods of making the same are disclosed. In one embodiment, a polycrystalline diamond body includes an annular region of inter-bonded diamond grains having a first characteristic property and a core region of inter-bonded diamond grains bonded to the annular region and having a second characteristic property that differs from the first characteristic property. The annular region decreases in thickness from a perimeter surface of the polycrystalline diamond body towards a centerline axis.

An anvil including a hard phase and a metal matrix in which the hard phase is dispersed, a concentration of the metal matrix phase varying according to a concentration gradient, is disclosed. The anvil may be used in a high pressure press. Methods of making an anvil including forming a hard phase dispersed in a metal matrix phase, a concentration of the metal matrix phase varying according to a concentration gradient, are also disclosed.

A high-temperature, high-pressure (HTHP) press is provided having a plurality of press bases. In one embodiment, the press includes eight or more press bases arranged in one of an octahedral, a dodecahedral or an icosahedral geometry. The press bases may include, or be coupled with, anvils configured to converge on a central region. An octahedral, a dodecahedral or an icosahedral reaction cell may be positioned at the central region for pressing by the converging anvils. In one embodiment, the reaction cell may include an opening, such as a through-hole, extending from a first face of the reaction cell to a second, opposite face of the reaction cell. One or more canisters containing materials to be sintered may be disposed in the opening to be subjected to a HTHP process.

In an example, a cubic press is described having press bases with spacers disposed between adjacent press bases. Sets of two or more tie bars are also disposed between adjacent press bases. The tie bars are placed in a state of compression while the spacers are placed in a state of compression. During operation, the press bases may become displaced relative to one another such that additional tension is experienced by the tie bars while the amount of compression experienced by the spacer is reduced. The tie bars exhibit a relatively small cross-sectional area as compared to the cross-sectional area of the spacer.

Powder press having preferably stamps which are movable for a transverse press in a feed housing. The stamps partially delimit a hollow chamber of a matrix in the feed housing and are able to be coupled to a press device by one connector piece each. An adjustable positioning device, which is formed from a wedge arrangement having a stop surface and placed crosswise to the moving direction of the stamp, is allocated to the respective stamp for determining the pressing position thereof. The wedge arrangement includes at least one wedge which is adjustable crosswise to the moving direction of the stamp and has the stop surface which contacts a stop surface at the stamp. Such a wedge arrangement can achieve very accurate pressing positions of the stamp, and extremely stable positioning of the stamp to be pressed with high pressure.

Embodiments disclosed herein relate to cell assemblies for fabricating superhard materials (e.g., used in a high-pressure cubic press) and methods of using the same. The disclosed cell assemblies include a plurality of internal anvils, at least some of which are positioned internally relative to a cell pressure medium of the cell assembly. Such a configuration for the cell assemblies may enable one or more of intensifying cell pressure, reducing processing time, or reducing costs for fabricating such superhard materials.