Intermetallic Aluminide Polycrystalline Diamond Compact (PDC) Cutting Elements

Abstract

Machining and cutting tools including, but not limited to, rotary drill bits, mining tools, milling tools, wood shredders, reamers and wire dies formed with at least one substrate having a layer of polycrystalline diamond disposed thereon. The polycrystalline diamond layer may be generally described as a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) or PDC layer. The PDC may be formed by using an intermetallic aluminide catalyst. One example of such catalyst may include nickel aluminide used to form diamond to diamond bonds between adjacent diamond particles.

1 . A cutting element comprising:
 a substrate having at least one layer of a polycrystalline diamond compact disposed thereon; and   the polycrystalline diamond compact formed in part by using an intermetallic aluminide as a catalyst to form diamond to diamond bonds between adjacent diamond particles.   
   
   
       2 . The cutting element of  claim 1  wherein the intermetallic aluminide further comprises nickel aluminide. 
   
   
       3 . The cutting element of  claim 1  further comprising the intermetallic aluminide selected from the group consisting of iron aluminide, cobalt aluminide, titanium aluminide, nickel-platinum aluminide, nickel-titanium aluminide, niobium aluminide, ruthenium aluminide, scandium aluminide, and zirconium aluminide. 
   
   
       4 . The cutting element of  claim 1  further comprising an insert for a fixed cutter rotary drill bit. 
   
   
       5 . The cutting element of  claim 1  further comprising a portion of a downhole tool selected from the group consisting of a rotary drill bit, reamer, near bit reamer, hole opener and coring bit. 
   
   
       6 . The cutting element of  claim 1  further comprising at least one portion of a tool selected from the group consisting of a mining tool, a machining tool used to cut ferrous materials, a machining tool used to cut non-ferrous materials, a machining tool used to process wood and other fibrous materials and a saw blade used to cut rocks such as limestone and granite, concrete, cermets and other hard materials. 
   
   
       7 . The cutting element of  claim 1  further comprising:
 the substrate having a first end; and   the at least one layer of the polycrystalline diamond compact disposed on the first end of the substrate.   
   
   
       8 . The cutting element of  claim 7  further comprising a layer of intermetallic aluminide disposed between the first end of the substrate and the at least one layer of the polycrystalline diamond compact. 
   
   
       9 . The cutting element of  claim 7  further comprising the intermetallic aluminide used to form the layer of polycrystalline diamond compact selected from the group consisting of iron aluminide, cobalt aluminide, titanium aluminide, nickel-platinum aluminide, nickel-titanium aluminide, niobium aluminide, ruthenium aluminide, scandium aluminide, and zirconium aluminide. 
   
   
       10 . The cutting element of  claim 7  further comprising:
 a plurality of void spaces formed between adjacent diamond particles bonded with each other by diamond to diamond bonds; and   the intermetallic aluminide disposed within the void spaces formed between adjacent diamond particles.   
   
   
       11 . A rotary drill bit operable to form a wellbore in a downhole formation comprising:
 a bit body having one end operable for connection to a drill string;   a plurality of cutting elements disposed on exterior portions of the bit body;   the cutting elements defined in part by a respective substrate and a respective layer of hard cutting material disposed on one end of the respective substrate; and   the layer of hard cutting material including a polycrystalline diamond compact formed at least in part by using an intermetallic aluminide catalyst.   
   
   
       12 . The drill bit of  claim 11  further comprising at least one of the substrates having a generally circular cross section. 
   
   
       13 . The drill bit of  claim 11  further comprising at least one of the substrates having a generally noncircular cross section. 
   
   
       14 . The drill bit of  claim 11  further comprising:
 a bit face profile having an inverted cone shaped configuration opposite from the one end of the bit body;   an opening formed in the bit body proximate the inverted cone shaped portion of the bit face profile;   a substrate having a layer of a polycrystalline diamond compact formed in part by intermetallic aluminide catalyst;   a post extending from the substrate; and   the post disposed in the opening in the bit body with the layer of the polycrystalline compact operable to engage formation materials adjacent to the inverted cone shaped portion of the bit face profile.   
   
   
       15 . The cutting element of  claim 11  wherein the intermetallic aluminide further comprises nickel aluminide. 
   
   
       16 . The drill bit of  claim 11  further comprising the intermetallic aluminide selected from the group consisting of iron aluminide, cobalt aluminide, titanium aluminide, nickel-platinum aluminide, nickel-titanium aluminide, niobium aluminide, ruthenium aluminide, scandium aluminide, and zirconium aluminide.