Abstract: Hardfacing materials include particles of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) material embedded within a matrix material. The PCD particles comprise a plurality of inter-bonded diamond grains. Material compositions and structures used to apply a hardfacing material to an earth-boring tool (e.g., welding rods) include PCD particles. Earth-boring tools include a hardfacing material comprising PCD particles embedded within a matrix material on at least a portion of a surface of a body of the tools. Methods of forming a hardfacing material include subjecting diamond grains to elevated temperatures and pressures to form diamond-to-diamond bonds between the diamond grains and form a PCD material. The PCD material is broken down to form PCD particles that include a plurality of inter-bonded diamond grains. Methods of hardfacing tools include bonding PCD particles to surfaces of the tools using a metal matrix material.

Abstract: Earth-boring tools and components thereof include a particle-matrix composite material having encapsulated diamond particles embedded within a matrix material. Diamonds in the particles comprise less than about 25% by volume of the composite material, the matrix material comprises less than about 50% by volume of the composite material, and encapsulant material surrounding the diamonds at least substantially comprises a remainder of the volume of the composite material. Methods of forming at least a portion of an earth-boring tool include embedding encapsulated diamond particles in a volume of matrix material to form a particle-matrix composite material. The composite material is formed in such a manner as to cause diamonds to comprise less than about 25% of the composite material, the matrix material to comprise less than about 50% of the composite material, and encapsulant material surrounding the diamonds to at least substantially comprise a remainder of the composite material.

Abstract: A cutting element for an earth boring bit, may include a PDC layer having a flat on a periphery thereof, the flat terminating longitudinally at an edge spaced from a cutting face of the PDC layer. A chamfer adjacent to the cutting face desirably has a length that exceeds its depth. A cutting element may additionally include a chamfer along the entire circumference, multiple step-wise, radially adjacent chamfers, and multiple circumferentially spaced portions of the uppermost radius of the PDC layer of the cutting element that each includes a chamfer with an associated flat. Additionally, a cutting element may include a flat terminating at a radial edge with the cutting face of a PDC layer.

Abstract: Cutting elements include a volume of superabrasive material. The volume of superabrasive material comprises a front-cutting surface, an end-cutting surface, a cutting edge, and lateral side surfaces extending between and intersecting each of the front-cutting surface and the end-cutting surface. An earth-boring tool may comprise a bit body and at least one cutting element attached to the bit body. Methods of forming cutting elements comprise forming a volume of superabrasive material comprising forming a front-cutting surface, an end-cutting surface, a cutting edge, and lateral side surfaces extending between and intersecting each of the front-cutting surface and the end-cutting surface. Methods of forming earth-boring tools comprise forming a cutting element and attaching the cutting element to an earth-boring tool.

Abstract: Earth-boring tools include a body, one or more blades projecting outwardly from the body, and cutting elements carried by the blade. The cutting elements include at least one shearing cutting element and at least one gouging cutting element. Methods of forming an earth-boring tool include mounting a shearing cutting element comprising an at least substantially planar cutting face to a body of an earth-boring tool, and mounting a gouging cutting element comprising a non-planar cutting face to the body of the earth-boring tool. The gouging cutting element may be positioned on the body of the earth-boring tool such that the gouging cutting element will gouge formation material within a kerf cut in the formation material by the shearing cutting element, or between kerfs cut in the formation material by a plurality of shearing cutting elements.

Abstract: Earth-boring tools include combinations of shearing cutting elements and gouging cutting elements on a blade of the earth-boring tools. In some embodiments, a gouging cutting element may be disposed adjacent to a shearing cutting element on a blade of an earth-boring tool. Methods of forming earth-boring tools include providing such combination of at least one shearing cutting element and at least one gouging cutting element on a blade of an earth-boring tool.

Abstract: Polycrystalline compacts include non-catalytic nanoparticles in interstitial spaces between interbonded grains of hard material in a polycrystalline hard material. Cutting elements and earth-boring tools include such polycrystalline compacts. Methods of forming polycrystalline compacts include sintering hard particles and non-catalytic nanoparticles to form a polycrystalline material. Methods of forming cutting elements include infiltrating interstitial spaces between interbonded grains of hard material in a polycrystalline material with a plurality of non-catalytic nanoparticles.

Abstract: Cutting elements for earth-boring tools may generate a shear lip at a wear scar thereon during cutting. A diamond table may exhibit a relatively high wear resistance, and an edge of the diamond table may be chamfered, the combination of which may result in the formation of a shear lip. Cutting elements may comprise multi-layer diamond tables that result in the formation of a shear lip during cutting. Earth-boring tools include such cutting elements. Methods of forming cutting elements may include selectively designing and configuring the cutting elements to form a shear lip. Methods of cutting a formation using an earth-boring tool include cutting the formation with a cutting element on the tool, and generating a shear lip at a wear scar on the cutting element. The cutting element may be configured such that the shear lip comprises diamond material of the cutting element.

Abstract: A cutting element comprising a substrate having an upper surface, a rear surface spaced apart from the upper surface, and a side surface connected to the rear surface and upper surface. The cutting element further includes a superabrasive layer comprising a rear surface, an upper surface, and a side surface connected to and extending between the rear surface and upper surface, wherein the rear surface of the superabrasive layer overlies the upper surface of the substrate. The cutting element is also formed to include a jacket overlying the side surface of the substrate and abutting a portion of the rear surface of the superabrasive layer, wherein the jacket comprises a flange extending along a portion of the side surface of the superabrasive layer.

Abstract: Methods of forming polycrystalline diamond elements include forming a polycrystalline diamond element. A Group VIII metal or alloy catalyst is employed to form the polycrystalline diamond compact table at a pressure of at least about 6.5 GPa or greater. The catalyst is then removed from at least a portion of the table to a depth from a working surface thereof, and may be removed from the entirety of the table. Polycrystalline diamond elements include such polycrystalline diamond compact tables. Earth-boring tools include such polycrystalline diamond elements carried thereon and employed as cutting elements.

Abstract: Methods of forming cutting elements for earth-boring tools include providing a barrier material between a first powder and a second powder each comprising diamond grains, and subjecting the powders and barrier material to high temperature and high pressure conditions to form polycrystalline diamond material. The formation of the polycrystalline diamond material is catalyzed, and catalytic material may be hindered from migrating across the layer of barrier material. Cutting elements for use in earth-boring tools include a barrier material disposed between a first layer of polycrystalline diamond material and a second layer of polycrystalline diamond material. Earth-boring tools include one or more such cutting elements for cutting an earth formation.

Abstract: Polycrystalline compacts include hard polycrystalline materials comprising in situ nucleated smaller grains of hard material interspersed and inter-bonded with larger grains of hard material. The average size of the larger grains may be at least about 250 times greater than the average size of the in situ nucleated smaller grains. Methods of forming polycrystalline compacts include nucleating and catalyzing the formation of smaller grains of hard material in the presence of larger grains of hard material, and catalyzing the formation of inter-granular bonds between the grains of hard material. For example, nucleation particles may be mixed with larger diamond grains, a carbon source, and a catalyst. The mixture may be subjected to high temperature and high pressure to form in smaller diamond grains using the nucleation particles, the carbon source, and the catalyst, and to catalyze formation of diamond-to-diamond bonds between the smaller and larger diamond grains.

Abstract: Downhole tool bearings are provided with diamond enhanced materials. The diamond enhanced materials comprise diamond grains in a matrix of tungsten or silicon carbide or a silicon bonded diamond material. A brazed diamond grit or diamond particles coated with a reactive braze may be utilized for bearing applications. Bearing rings for use in downhole tools may be formed at least in part with the diamond enhanced material. In one embodiment, the bearing rings may be used in a positive displacement motor. In additional embodiments, the bearing rings may be used in a submersible pump.

Abstract: A cutting element for use in a drilling bit and/or milling bit having a cutter body made of a substrate having an upper surface, and a superabrasive layer overlying the upper surface of the substrate. The cutting element further including a sleeve extending around a portion of a side surface of the superabrasive layer and a side surface of the substrate, wherein the sleeve exerts a radially compressive force on the superabrasive layer.

Abstract: Cutting elements for use in earth-boring applications include a substrate, a transition layer, and a working layer. The transition layer and the working layer comprise a continuous matrix phase and a discontinuous diamond phase dispersed throughout the matrix phase. The concentration of diamond in the working layer is higher than in the transition layer. Earth-boring tools include at least one such cutting element. Methods of making cutting elements and earth-boring tools include mixing diamond crystals with matrix particles to form a mixture. The mixture is formulated in such a manner as cause the diamond crystals to comprise about 50% or more by volume of the solid matter in the mixture. The mixture is sintered to form a working layer of a cutting element that is at least substantially free of polycrystalline diamond material and that includes the diamond crystals dispersed within a continuous matrix phase formed from the matrix particles.

Abstract: Hardfacing materials include particles of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) material embedded within a matrix material. The PCD particles comprise a plurality of inter-bonded diamond grains. Material compositions and structures used to apply a hardfacing material to an earth-boring tool (e.g., welding rods) include PCD particles. Earth-boring tools include a hardfacing material comprising PCD particles embedded within a matrix material on at least a portion of a surface of a body of the tools. Methods of forming a hardfacing material include subjecting diamond grains to elevated temperatures and pressures to form diamond-to-diamond bonds between the diamond grains and form a PCD material. The PCD material is broken down to form PCD particles that include a plurality of inter-bonded diamond grains. Methods of hardfacing tools include bonding PCD particles to surfaces of the tools using a metal matrix material.

Abstract: A drill bit or milling tool includes a bit body on which a plurality of cutting elements are disposed. At least some of the plurality of cutting elements include a diamond table and a superabrasive material non-reactive with iron-based materials disposed over at least a portion of an exterior surface of the diamond table. The diamond table is suitable for drilling through a subterranean formation and the non-reactive superabrasive material is suitable for drilling through a casing or casing-associated component comprising an iron-based material and disposed within the subterranean formation. The diamond table may comprise a PDC and the non-reactive superabrasive material may comprise cubic boron nitride.

Abstract: A cutting element for use with an earth boring drill bit includes a diamond cutting table that is substantially free of a metallic binder. The cutting table may include polycrystalline diamond and a carbonate binder or polycrystalline diamond with silicon and/or silicon carbide dispersed therethrough. A base of the cutting table is secured to a substrate by way of an adhesion layer. The adhesion layer includes diamond. The adhesion layer may also include cobalt or another suitable binder material, which may be mixed with diamond particles from which the adhesion layer is formed, or may leach from the substrate into the adhesion layer as the cutting element is bonded to the substrate. Alternatively, the cutting table may be formed from and consist essentially of chemical vapor deposited diamond that has been diamond bonded to an underlying polycrystalline diamond compact. Processes for securing substantially metallic binder-free cutting elements to substrates are also disclosed.

Abstract: A polycrystalline diamond compact comprising a diamond table is formed in a high pressure, high temperature process using a catalyst, the catalyst being substantially removed from the entirety of the diamond table, and the diamond table attached to a supporting substrate in a subsequent high pressure, high temperature process using a binder material differing at least in part from a material of the catalyst. The binder material is permitted to penetrate substantially completely throughout the diamond table from an interface with the substrate to and including a cutting surface, and the binder material is selectively removed from a region or regions of the diamond table by a conventional technique (e.g., acid leaching). Cutting elements so formed and drill bits equipped with such cutting elements are also disclosed.

Abstract: An abrasive-impregnated cutting structure for use in drilling a subterranean formation is disclosed. The abrasive-impregnated cutting structure may comprise a plurality of abrasive particles dispersed within a substantially continuous matrix, wherein the abrasive-impregnated cutting structure exhibits an anisotropic wear resistance. One or more of the amount, average size, composition, properties, shape, quality, strength, and concentration of the abrasive particles may vary within the abrasive-impregnated cutting structure. Anisotropic wear resistance may relate to a selected direction, such as, for example, one or more of an expected direction of engagement of the abrasive-impregnated cutting structure with the subterranean formation and an anticipated wear direction. Anisotropic wear resistance of an abrasive-impregnated cutting structure may be configured for forming or retaining a formation-engaging leading edge thereof.