Abrasive compact

Abstract

The invention relates to an abrasive compact comprising a mass of diamond particles and a silicon containing binder phase wherein the diamond particles are present in an amount less than 75 volume % and the binder phase contains less than 2 volume % unreacted (elemental) silicon. The invention further relates to a method of producing an abrasive compact including the steps of forming a feed diamond powder into a diamond preform, interposing a separating mechanism between the diamond preform and a silicon infiltrant source, heating the diamond preform and silicon infiltrant source until the infiltrant is molten and the preform and infiltrant are isothermal and allowing infiltration from the molten silicon infiltrant source to occur into the diamond preform.

1 . An abrasive compact comprising a mass of diamond particles and binder phase comprising silicon,
 wherein the diamond particles have a particle size of at least 5 microns and are present in an amount less than 70 volume % and   the binder phase ucomprises no detectable free or elemental silicon determined by XRD.   
     
     
         2 . The compact according to  claim 1 , wherein the diamond particles are present in an amount of more than 5 to volume %. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The compact according to  claim 1 , wherein the diamond particles have an average grain size less than 10 μm. 
     
     
         6 . The compact according to  claim 1 , wherein the diamond particles are present in an amount of more than 20 volume %. 
     
     
         7 . The compact according to  claim 1 , wherein the diamond particles are present in an amount of more than 30 volume %. 
     
     
         8 . The compact according to  claim 1 , wherein the diamond particles are present in an amount of more than 40 volume %. 
     
     
         9 . The compact according to  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the silicon in the binder phase is present as silicon carbide. 
     
     
         10 . The compact according to  claim 9 , wherein a majority of the silicon is present in the binder phase as silicon carbide. 
     
     
         11 . The compact according to  claim 9 , wherein the silicon carbide is microcrystalline in nature. 
     
     
         12 . The compact according to  claim 10 , wherein the silicon carbide is microcrystalline in nature.