Polycrystalline diamond elements, cutting elements, and related methods

Abstract

A polycrystalline diamond abrasive cutting element consists generally of a layer of high grade polycrystalline diamond bonded to a cemented carbide substrate. The polycrystalline diamond layer has a working surface and an outer peripheral surface and is characterized by having an annular region or a portion thereof adjacent the peripheral surface that is lean in catalysing material. A region adjacent the working surface is also lean in catalysing material such that in use, as a wear scar develops, both the leading edge and the trailing edge thereof are located in a region lean in catalysing material.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A polycrystalline diamond element, comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a polycrystalline diamond layer bonded to the substrate along an interface, the polycrystalline diamond layer comprising:
 a working surface opposite the interface; 
 a region adjacent the working surface lean in catalyzing material and extending away from the working surface to a depth; 
 a peripheral surface located between the working surface and the interface; 
 a substantially annular region lean in catalyzing material adjacent and extending along the peripheral surface away from the working surface a distance toward the interface greater than the depth of the region lean in catalyzing material adjacent the working surface and radially inward of the substantially annular region the substantially annular region having a radially inner periphery extending below the depth of the region adjacent the working surface lean in catalyzing material and radially inward of the substantially annular region; and 
 a region rich in catalyzing material having a portion located radially inward of and adjacent the radially inner periphery of the substantially annular region lean in catalyzing material and at least another portion extending to the peripheral surface and located between the substantially annular region and the interface. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The polycrystalline diamond element of  claim 1 , wherein the region of the polycrystalline diamond layer adjacent the working surface lean in catalyzing material and radially inward of the substantially annular region lean in catalyzing material extends into the polycrystalline diamond layer from the working surface to a depth of about 30 μm to about 500 μm. 
     
     
       3. The polycrystalline diamond element of  claim 1 , wherein the region of the polycrystalline diamond layer adjacent the working surface lean in catalyzing material is adjacent substantially all of the working surface. 
     
     
       4. The polycrystalline diamond element of  claim 3 , wherein the region of the polycrystalline diamond layer adjacent the working surface and the region of polycrystalline diamond layer adjacent and extending along the peripheral surface lean in catalyzing material together define a cap-like structure overlying and peripherally surrounding the portion of the region of the polycrystalline diamond layer rich in catalyzing material. 
     
     
       5. The polycrystalline diamond element of  claim 1 , wherein the region of the polycrystalline diamond layer adjacent the working surface lean in catalyzing material and the region of the polycrystalline diamond layer adjacent and extending along the peripheral surface lean in catalyzing material are contiguous. 
     
     
       6. The polycrystalline diamond element of  claim 5 , further including a bevel between the working surface and the peripheral surface having an adjacent region lean in catalyzing material. 
     
     
       7. The polycrystalline diamond element of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the substantially annular region lean in catalyzing material located below the depth of the region adjacent the working surface lean in catalyzing material and radially inward of the substantially annular region extends into the polycrystalline diamond layer from the peripheral surface to a depth of about 30 μm to about 500 μm. 
     
     
       8. The polycrystalline diamond element of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially annular region lean in catalyzing material extends from the working surface along the peripheral surface toward the interface to a depth of at least half of an overall thickness of the polycrystalline diamond layer. 
     
     
       9. The polycrystalline diamond element of  claim 8 , wherein the substantially annular region lean in catalyzing material stops short of the interface by at least about 500 μm. 
     
     
       10. The polycrystalline diamond element of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially annular region lean in catalyzing material comprises an annular region. 
     
     
       11. The polycrystalline diamond element of  claim 1 , wherein the region rich in catalyzing material comprises a plurality of regions which differ in at least one of average particle size and chemical composition. 
     
     
       12. The polycrystalline diamond element of  claim 1 , wherein the polycrystalline diamond element is configured as a cutting element. 
     
     
       13. The polycrystalline diamond element of  claim 12 , wherein the cutting element is mounted on a drill bit for drilling subterranean formations. 
     
     
       14. The polycrystalline diamond element of  claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a cemented carbide. 
     
     
       15. A cutting element for use in drilling subterranean formations, comprising:
 a polycrystalline diamond layer bonded to a substrate, the polycrystalline diamond layer comprising:
 a working surface; 
 a region lean in catalyzing material adjacent the working surface; 
 a peripheral surface extending between the working surface and the substrate; 
 an annular region lean in catalyzing material adjacent the peripheral surface and extending from adjacent the working surface toward the substrate a distance greater than a depth of the region lean in catalyzing material adjacent the working surface located laterally inward of the annular region; and 
 at least one other region in the polycrystalline diamond layer rich in catalyzing material, the at least one other region rich in catalyzing material comprising a portion laterally inward of an inner lateral periphery of the annular region and at least another portion extending to the peripheral surface between the annular region and the substrate. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The cutting element of  claim 15 , wherein the region of the polycrystalline diamond layer adjacent the working surface lean in catalyzing material lies adjacent substantially all of the working surface. 
     
     
       17. The cutting element of  claim 16 , wherein the region of the polycrystalline diamond layer adjacent the working surface and the region of the polycrystalline diamond layer adjacent the peripheral surface lean in catalyzing material together form a cap-like structure overlying and peripherally surrounding the portion of the at least one other region of the polycrystalline diamond layer rich in catalyzing material. 
     
     
       18. The cutting element of  claim 15 , wherein the region of the polycrystalline diamond layer adjacent the working surface lean in catalyzing material and the region of the polycrystalline diamond layer adjacent the peripheral surface lean in catalyzing material are contiguous. 
     
     
       19. The cutting element of  claim 18 , further including a bevel between the working surface and the peripheral surface having an adjacent region lean in catalyzing material. 
     
     
       20. The cutting element of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of a portion of the region of the polycrystalline diamond layer adjacent the working surface laterally inward of the annular region and a portion of the annular region lean in catalyzing material adjacent the peripheral surface extending a distance from the working surface greater than the depth of the region lean in catalyzing material adjacent the working surface located laterally inward of the annular region extends into the polycrystalline diamond layer from the respectively adjacent surface to a depth of about 30 μm to about 500 μm. 
     
     
       21. The cutting element of  claim 15 , wherein the annular region lean in catalyzing material extends from adjacent the working surface along the peripheral surface toward the substrate a distance of at least half of an overall thickness of the polycrystalline diamond layer. 
     
     
       22. The cutting element of  claim 21 , wherein the annular region lean in catalyzing material is spaced from an interface with the substrate at a periphery of the cutting element by at least about 500 μm. 
     
     
       23. The cutting element of  claim 15 , wherein the cutting element is mounted on a drill bit for drilling subterranean formations. 
     
     
       24. The cutting element of  claim 15 , wherein the substrate comprises a cemented carbide. 
     
     
       25. A method of forming a polycrystalline diamond element, the method comprising:
 forming a diamond abrasive compact at a pressure between 7 GPa and 8 GPa; and   removing a portion of catalyzing material from the diamond abrasive compact to form:
 a first region of the diamond abrasive compact lean in catalyzing material adjacent a working surface of the diamond abrasive compact and extending away from the working surface to a depth; 
 a substantially annular region of the diamond abrasive compact lean in catalyzing material and extending along a peripheral surface of the diamond abrasive compact away from the working surface a distance greater than a depth of the first region lean in catalyzing material adjacent the working surface, the substantially annular region having a radially inner periphery extending below the depth of the first region adjacent the working surface lean in catalyzing material; and 
 a second region of the diamond abrasive compact rich in catalyzing material having a portion located radially inward of and adjacent the radially inner periphery of the substantially annular region lean in catalyzing material and at least another portion extending to the peripheral surface of the diamond abrasive compact. 
   
     
     
       26. The method of claim 25, further comprising attaching the diamond abrasive compact to a substrate. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 26, further comprising spacing the substantially annular region of the diamond abrasive compact lean in catalyzing material between 30 microns and 500 microns from an interface between the diamond abrasive compact and the substrate. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 25, further comprising extending a portion of the first region of the diamond abrasive compact radially inward of the substantially annular region into the diamond abrasive compact from the working surface to a depth between 30 microns and 500 microns. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 25, further comprising extending a portion of the first region of the diamond abrasive compact radially inward of the substantially annular region into the diamond abrasive compact from the working surface to a depth between 300 microns and 500 microns. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim 25, further comprising extending the first region of the diamond abrasive compact into the diamond abrasive compact from the working surface to a depth between 300 microns and 500 microns. 
     
     
       31. A method of forming a cutting element for use in subterranean formations, the method comprising:
 forming a diamond abrasive compact at a pressure between 7 GPa and 8 GPa; and   removing a portion of catalyzing material from the diamond abrasive compact to form:
 a first region of the diamond abrasive compact lean in catalyzing material adjacent a working surface of the diamond abrasive compact and comprising a portion extending away from the working surface to a depth between 300 microns and 500 microns; 
 a substantially annular region of the diamond abrasive compact lean in catalyzing material and extending along a peripheral surface of the diamond abrasive compact away from the working surface a distance greater than a depth of the portion of the first region lean in catalyzing material adjacent the working surface; and 
 a second region of the diamond abrasive compact rich in catalyzing material having a portion located radially inward of the substantially annular region and at least another portion extending to the peripheral surface of the diamond abrasive compact. 
   
     
     
       32. A cutting element for use in subterranean formations, comprising:
 a diamond abrasive compact formed at a pressure between 7 GPa and 8 GPa, the diamond abrasive compact comprising:
 a first region lean in catalyzing material adjacent a working surface of the diamond abrasive compact and extending away from the working surface to a depth; 
 a substantially annular region lean in catalyzing material and extending along a peripheral surface of the diamond abrasive compact away from the working surface a distance greater than a depth of the first region lean in catalyzing material adjacent the working surface; and 
 a second region rich in catalyzing material having a portion located radially inward of the substantially annular region and at least another portion extending to the peripheral surface of the diamond abrasive compact. 
   
     
     
       33. The cutting element of claim 32, wherein a portion of the first region radially inward of the substantially annular region extends away from the working surface to a depth between 300 microns and 500 microns. 
     
     
       34. The cutting element of claim 32, wherein the first region extends away from the working surface to a depth between 300 microns and 500 microns. 
     
     
       35. The cutting element of claim 32, further comprising a substrate bonded to the diamond abrasive compact at an interface. 
     
     
       36. The cutting element of claim 35, wherein the substantially annular region lean in catalyzing material is spaced from the interface between the diamond abrasive compact and the substrate by a depth of between 300 microns and 500 microns.