Layered PCD Compact Structure for Faster Catalyst Leaching

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional polycrystalline diamond (PCD) materials face challenges in achieving a balance between hardness and toughness due to high metal content, which leads to brittleness and limited flexibility in applications like drilling, where high temperatures and abrasive conditions cause wear, fatigue, and impact cracking.

Innovation Solution

The method involves forming PCD compacts with layers of varying catalyst concentrations, where a close-packed working layer with lower catalyst content is built on a loose-packed non-working layer with higher catalyst content, allowing for accelerated leaching of catalysts under high-pressure high-temperature conditions to enhance thermal stability and reduce leaching time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If higher metal content is used in PCD material, then brittleness increases, but this limits flexibility in applications

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovehardnessVSAvoidflexibility in applications

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables application flexibility through local quality differentiation, where the first layer provides wear resistance for abrasive conditions and the second layer provides impact resistance for shock-loaded applications. This layered structure allows the PCD compact to adapt to varying operational demands, resolving the contradiction between hardness and application flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional single-layer PCD structure is used, then manufacturing is simple, but leaching time is excessive and thermal stability is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidleaching time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the PCD compact into multiple layers with different catalyst concentrations. The second layer with higher metal content acts as a catalyst reservoir that accelerates the leaching process through controlled catalyst migration, reducing overall leaching time while improving thermal stability. This segmented structure maintains manufacturing feasibility while resolving the time and stability issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If conventional single-layer PCD structure is used, then structure is simple, but thermal stability is insufficient under high temperature conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural complexityVSAvoidthermal stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent improves thermal stability through segmentation into layers with different catalyst concentrations. The second layer with higher metal content (20-40 wt%) provides thermal stability by maintaining structural integrity at elevated temperatures and facilitating controlled catalyst leaching. This segmented approach enhances thermal performance while keeping the overall structure relatively simple and manufacturable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach results in PCD compacts with improved thermal stability and accelerated leaching, maintaining wear resistance and impact resistance while reducing brittleness, thus enhancing the durability and performance of PCD cutting elements in drilling applications.

Implementation Method 1

Catalyst materials typically used for forming PCD may include metals from Group VIII of the Periodic Table, such as cobalt, iron, or nickel and mixtures or alloys thereof, with cobalt being the most common

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Implementation Method 2

sintering the first layer and the second layer under high-pressure high-temperature conditions in the presence of the infiltrant material to form the polycrystalline diamond compact

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSintering: Sintering

Implementation Method 3

leaching at least a portion of the catalyst from the polycrystalline diamond compact

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLeaching: Purification

Data Source

PatentUS11014157B2Solid PCD with transition layers to accelerate full leaching of catalyst

Publication Date: 2021.05.25 SCHLUMBERGER TECH CORP

AI summary

A method of making a polycrystalline diamond compact includes forming a first layer of polycrystalline diamond precursor materials comprising diamond particles and a first concentration of catalyst, forming a second layer of polycrystalline diamond precursor materials comprising diamond particles and a second concentration of catalyst, and placing a layer of an infiltrant material in the proximity of the first or the second layer of polycrystalline diamond precursor materials. The second concentration of catalyst is greater than the first concentration of catalyst. The infiltrant material is a catalyst. The first layer and the second layer are sintered under high-pressure high-temperature conditions in the presence of the infiltrant material to form the polycrystalline diamond compact. At least a portion of the catalyst is leached from the polycrystalline diamond compact.