Sealed Cobalt Leaching Tooling for Deep Diamond Layer Decobaltization

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing cobalt removal apparatuses have a short service life and limited cobalt removal depth, making it difficult to achieve the required thermal stability and hardness of polycrystalline diamond composite layers, which are crucial for ultra-deep drilling applications.

Innovation Solution

A sealed cobalt removal tooling comprising a sealing sleeve, clamping mechanism, and pressing mechanism, which applies lateral and vertical pressures to ensure a sealed environment for chemical reagents, enhancing the reaction rate and extending the cobalt removal depth to 1200 μm or above.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If existing cobalt removal apparatus is used, then the process can be performed, but the service life is short and cobalt removal depth is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice life of cobalt removal apparatusVSAvoidcobalt removal depth

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The tooling is divided into distinct functional components: a sealing sleeve for isolation, a clamping mechanism for radial securing, and a pressing mechanism for axial loading. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, with the sealing sleeve providing extended service life through reliable sealing while the pressing mechanism enables ultra-deep cobalt removal beyond previous depth limitations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The sealing sleeve acts as an intermediary component between the chemical reagent and the external environment, creating a sealed reaction chamber that prolongs the service life of the removal apparatus by preventing reagent leakage and contamination, while also enabling deeper cobalt removal through controlled reaction conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If reaction time is extended to increase cobalt removal depth, then deeper removal is achieved, but production cycle time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecobalt removal depthVSAvoidproduction cycle time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The pressing mechanism applies axial pressure to the workpiece, changing the physical parameters of the reaction environment. This pressure enhancement accelerates the chemical reaction rate, allowing ultra-deep cobalt removal (exceeding 1000 μm) to be achieved within a reasonable production cycle time, thus resolving the contradiction between removal depth and production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If high pressure and high rotation speed drilling is used, then drilling efficiency improves, but thermal stability requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrilling efficiencyVSAvoidthermal stability requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The tooling extracts and removes the harmful cobalt catalyst from the polycrystalline diamond compact through chemical leaching. By taking out the cobalt phase that causes thermal instability, the remaining diamond structure achieves the required thermal stability for high-temperature drilling applications while maintaining the drilling efficiency benefits of high speed and pressure operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The cobalt catalyst, which initially causes thermal instability due to phase transformation at high temperature, is converted into a beneficial element through controlled chemical removal. The selective leaching process transforms the harmful cobalt phase into a removable substance, leaving behind a thermally stable diamond structure that can withstand the high temperatures generated during high-efficiency drilling operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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

The tooling prolongs the service life of the cobalt removal process and increases the reaction time, ensuring a deeper cobalt removal depth, meeting the requirements for ultra-deep processing of diamond composite layers.

Implementation Method 1

a chemical reagent and a layer subjected to cobalt removal of the compact

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectChemical dissolution: Solvation

Implementation Method 2

the clamping mechanism is configured to provide a first pressure to the sealing sleeve; the pressing mechanism is arranged on the top of the sealing sleeve and is configured to provide a second pressure to the sealing sleeve

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical pressure: Compression

Data Source

PatentUS20250347176A1Sealed cobalt leaching device, reagent,use of method for cobalt leaching and polycrystalline diamond composite sheet

Publication Date: 2025.11.13 SICHUAN JIARUI TECH CO LTD

AI summary

The present application discloses a sealed cobalt removal tooling, method and reagent, and a polycrystalline diamond compact. The tooling comprises a sealing sleeve, a clamping mechanism, and a pressing mechanism. The sealing sleeve is configured to be sleeved over an outer wall of a workpiece; the clamping mechanism is sleeved over an outer wall of the sealing sleeve; the clamping mechanism is configured to provide a first pressure to the sealing sleeve; the pressing mechanism is arranged on the top of the sealing sleeve and is configured to provide a second pressure to the sealing sleeve; and an inner cavity for containing a chemical reagent is formed inside the pressing mechanism, and the top of the workpiece can extend into the inner cavity.