Diamond particles having textured surfaces, and related earth-boring tools

Abstract

A method of modifying surfaces of diamond particles comprises forming spinodal alloy coatings over discrete diamond particles, thermally treating the spinodal alloy coatings to form modified coatings each independently exhibiting a reactive metal phase and a substantially non-reactive metal phase, and etching surfaces of the discrete diamond particles with at least one reactive metal of the reactive metal phase of the modified coatings. Diamond particles and earth-boring tools are also described.

1 . A diamond particle comprising a textured surface exhibiting elevated regions and recessed regions between the elevated regions, lateral dimensions and spacing of the recessed regions respectively corresponding to lateral dimensions and spacing of regions of at least one phase of a spinodally decomposed alloy substantially reactive with diamond at a temperature greater than or equal to about 650° C. 
     
     
         2 . The diamond particle of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed regions exhibit substantially the same lateral dimensions and substantially the same spacing as regions of a Ni phase of a spinodally decomposed Cu—Ni alloy. 
     
     
         3 . The diamond particle of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed regions exhibit substantially the same lateral dimensions and substantially the same spacing as regions of a Ni—Sn phase of a spinodally decomposed Cu—Ni—Sn alloy. 
     
     
         4 . The diamond particle of  claim 1 , wherein the recessed regions are substantially uniformly spaced apart from one another. 
     
     
         5 . An earth-boring tool comprising at least one structure comprising diamond particles, at least one of the diamond particles having a textured surface exhibiting elevated regions and recessed regions between the elevated regions, lateral dimensions and spacing of the recessed regions respectively corresponding to lateral dimensions and spacing of regions of at least one phase of a spinodally decomposed alloy substantially reactive with diamond at a temperature greater than or equal to about 650° C. 
     
     
         6 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 5 , wherein the recessed regions of the textured surface of the at least one of the diamond particles exhibit substantially the same lateral dimensions and substantially the same spacing as regions of a reactive metal phase of the spinodally decomposed alloy. 
     
     
         7 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 6 , wherein the recessed regions exhibit substantially the same lateral dimensions and substantially the same spacing as regions of a Ni phase of a spinodally decomposed Cu—Ni alloy. 
     
     
         8 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 6 , wherein the recessed regions exhibit substantially the same lateral dimensions and substantially the same spacing as regions of a Ni—Sn phase of a spinodally decomposed Cu—Ni—Sn alloy. 
     
     
         9 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 5 , wherein the recessed regions are substantially uniformly spaced apart from one another. 
     
     
         10 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 5 , wherein:
 each of the recessed regions exhibit substantially the same width within a range of from about 1 nm to about 500 nm; and   each of the recessed regions is separated from one or more other of the recessed regions adjacent thereto by substantially the same distance within a range of about 1 nm to about 500 nm.   
     
     
         11 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one of the diamond particles comprises a micro-sized diamond particle having a particle size with a range of from about 1 μm to about 1000 μm. 
     
     
         12 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one of the diamond particles comprises a nano-sized diamond particle each having a particle size less than 1 μm. 
     
     
         13 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 5 , wherein the diamond particles each individually exhibit the textured surface exhibiting the elevated regions and recessed regions. 
     
     
         14 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 5 , wherein the diamond particles are polydisperse. 
     
     
         15 . An earth-boring tool, comprising:
 at least one structure;   at least one insert attached to the at least one structure and comprising a diamond-impregnated material comprising:
 a matrix; and 
 diamond particles dispersed within the matrix and exhibiting textured surfaces comprising:
 substantially uniformly-spaced elevated regions; and 
 substantially uniformly-spaced recessed regions between the substantially uniformly-spaced elevated regions, lateral dimensions and spacing of the substantially uniformly-spaced recessed regions respectively corresponding to lateral dimensions and spacing of regions of a reactive metal phase of a spinodally decomposed alloy substantially reactive with diamond at a temperature with a range of from about 650° C. to about 1000° C. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 15 , wherein the matrix of the diamond-impregnated material comprises one or more of tungsten carbide, a tungsten-cobalt alloy, and elemental tungsten. 
     
     
         17 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one insert comprises a cutting element having a polycrystalline diamond compact comprising the diamond-impregnated material. 
     
     
         18 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 15 , wherein the diamond particles are inter-bonded together through direct, inter-granular bonds. 
     
     
         19 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 15 , wherein the substantially uniformly-spaced recessed regions exhibit substantially the same lateral dimensions and substantially the same spacing as regions of a Ni phase of a spinodally decomposed Cu—Ni alloy. 
     
     
         20 . The earth-boring tool of  claim 15 , wherein the substantially uniformly-spaced recessed regions exhibit substantially the same lateral dimensions and substantially the same spacing as regions of a Ni—Sn phase of a spinodally decomposed Cu—Ni—Sn alloy.