Superabrasive particle synthesis with growth control

Abstract

An improved method for synthesizing superabrasive particles provides high quality industrial superabrasive particles with high yield and a narrow size distribution. The synthesis method can include forming a growth precursor of a substantially homogeneous mixture of raw material and catalyst material or layers of raw material and metal catalyst. The growth precursor can have a layer of adhesive over at least a portion thereof. A plurality of crystalline seeds can be placed in a predetermined pattern on the layer of adhesive. The growth precursor can be maintained at a temperature and pressure at which the superabrasive crystal is thermodynamically stable for a time sufficient for a desired degree of growth. Advantageously, the patterned placement of crystalline seeds and disclosed processes allow for production of various morphologies of synthetic diamonds, including octahedral and cubic diamonds, and improved growth conditions generally. As a result, the grown superabrasive particles typically have a high yield of high quality particles and a narrow distribution of particle sizes.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11 / 175,017, filed Jul. 5, 2005, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 926,576, filed Aug. 25, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 791,300, filed Mar. 1, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 259,168, filed Sep. 27, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 935,204, filed Aug. 22, 2001, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,243, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09 / 399,573, filed Sep. 20, 1999, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,498, which is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08 / 835,117, filed Apr. 4, 1997, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,641, and of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08 / 832,852, filed Apr. 4, 1997, now abandoned, all of which are incorporated herein by refere...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0155] In one detailed aspect of the present invention, the crystalline seed can be from about 10% to about 30% of the desired grown diamond particle size. Depending on the growth conditions and the size of the crystalline seed, the grown superabrasive particles can have a particle size from about 100 μm to about 2 mm. Most common superabrasive particles sizes can range from about 18 mesh to about 60 mesh. Even larger superabrasive particles can be grown if larger crystalline seeds are used. Typically, grown superabrasive particles useful in many abrasive and cutting applications can have a particle size from about 210 μm to about 1 mm. One advantage of the present invention is the uniformity of grown superabrasive particle sizes. The predetermined pattern and orientation of layers allows for substantially uniform nucleation and growth of diamond and cBN. Therefore, the grown superabrasive particles of the present invention have a very narrow size distribution and improved quality when compared to particles grown from randomly nucleated and seeded precursors. For example, the size distributions using the present invention are typically less than half the standard deviation of conventional random seeded methods. Typically, the grown superabrasive particles of the present invention also have inclusion levels which are typically not noticeable under unaided visual inspection. Typically, yields of from about 30% to about 90% conversion of carbon to diamond can be expected when using the present invention. Further, the percent of high quality diamond can range from 50% to about 90%, with over 70% being a typical yield. In some embodiments of the present invention, the yield of high quality diamonds can range from about 2 carat / cm3 to about 5 carat / cm3, and preferably from about 3.5 carat / cm3 to about 4.5 carat / cm3. FIG. 18 shows an assembly of grown diamond particles in accordance with the present invention. In FIG. 18, the diamond particles are substantially uniform in size and exhibit uniform euhedral crystal shapes. In this example, the diamond separation was predetermined at 0.9 mm.

Problems solved by technology

The amount of defects (e.g. metal inclusion) will also affect the thermal stability of the diamond grit.

Diamonds having a lower amount of inclusions can also wear slower at the cutting tips where heat is generated.

Because the saw grits are much larger than grinding grits, they require much longer growth time.

As the time for diamond growth increases, the more difficult it is to control pressure and temperature.

However, under ultrahigh pressure conditions during crystal growth, the pressure tends to continually decay due to the volume contraction associated with diamond formation.

Hence, it is very difficult to maintain optimal conditions of pressure and temperature for homogeneous growth of diamond grits.

Consequently, saw diamond grits are very difficult to grow, particularly those having high quality.

These difficulties partially account for the abundance of companies which can grow saw grits, while very few companies are capable of growing high grade saw grits having larger sizes.

As a result, very few companies can master the technology of growing coarse saw grits, in particular, those with high quality, high impact strength, and high thermal stability.

Unfortunately, typical processes also result in the crystals having external flaws, e.g., rough surfaces, and undesirable inclusions, e.g., metal and carbon inclusions.

Therefore, increased costs are incurred in segregating acceptable high strength diamonds from weaker, poor quality diamonds.

Random nucleation methods typically allow some regions of raw materials to be wasted while other regions are densely packed with diamond crystals having a high percentage of defects.

Some diamond synthesis methods have improved nucleation uniformity somewhat; however, during diamond growth local changes in pressure can occur.

If heating is accomplished by passing electrical current directly through the reaction cell, then diamond growth can also interfere with the electrical current used to control heating.

The results of such interference are non-uniformities and fluctuations in the temperature and pressure gradients across the reaction cell and thus a wide distribution of crystal sizes, crystal shapes, and inclusion levels.

This marginal yield still wastes large amounts of raw materials, reduces production efficiencies, and leaves considerable room for improvement.

However, such materials are intrinsically heterogeneous.

However, powdered mixture methods can be difficult to control.

For example, the density of graphite and metal catalyst materials differ significantly, making uniform mixing very difficult.

In addition, powdered mixture methods generally require even more strict control of process conditions than in layered methods.

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