Abstract: The formation of uniformly high quality abrasive compacts, especially cubic boron nitride compacts, is achieved by employing a substrate material (comprising a carbide such as tungsten carbide and a ferrous metal such as cobalt) having a titanium content of not greater than 100 ppm as shown by analysis. Preferably, the maximum tantalum content is also not greater than 100 ppm.

Abstract: Metal carbide supported polycrystalline diamond (PCD) compacts having improved shear strength and impact resistance properties, and a method for making the same under high temperature/high pressure (HT/HP) processing conditions. A sintered polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) compact interlayer is provided to be bonded at a first interface to a sintered PCD compact layer, and at a second interface to a cemented metal carbide support layer comprising particles of a metal carbide in a binder metal. The supported compact is characterized as having a substantially uniform sweep through of the binder metal from the cemented metal carbide support layer, which sweep through bonds the sintered PCD compact layer to the sintered PCBN interlayer, and the sintered PCBN interlayer to the cemented metal carbide support layer.

Abstract: Supported polycrystalline compacts having improved shear strength, impact, and fracture toughness properties, and methods for making the same under high temperature/high pressure (HT/HP) processing conditions. The method involves a HT/HP apparatus formed of a generally cylindrical reaction cell assembly having an inner chamber of predefined axial and radial extents and containing pressure transmitting medium, and a charge assembly having axial and radial surfaces and formed of at least one sub-assembly comprising a mass of crystalline particles adjacent a metal carbide support layer. The charge assembly is disposed within the chamber of the reaction cell assembly, with the pressure transmitting medium being interposed between the axial and radial surfaces of the charge assembly and the extents of the reaction cell chamber to define an axial pressure transmitting medium thickness, L.sub.h, and a radial pressure transmitting medium thickness, L.sub.r, the ratio of which, L.sub.h /L.sub.

Abstract: Metal carbide supported polycrystalline diamond (PCD) compacts having improved shear strength and impact resistance properties, and a method for making the same under high temperature/high pressure (HT/HP) processing conditions. A sintered polycrystalline cubic boron nitrite (PCBN) compact interlayer is provided to be bonded at a first interface to a sintered PCD compact layer, and at a second interface to a cemented metal carbide support layer comprising particles of a metal carbide in a binder metal. The supported compact is characterized as having a substantially uniform sweep through of the binder metal from the cemented metal carbide support layer, which sweep through bonds the sintered PCD compact layer to the sintered PCBN interlayer, and the sintered PCBN interlayer to the cemented metal carbide support layer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to rotary drill bits and blanks which retain polycrystalline diamond or CBN compacts, but which do not suffer from disadvantages attendant by prior drill designs. The inventive rotary drill bit has a slot within the head thereof which slot has brazed therein with a brazing alloy preferably having a liquidus greater than 700.degree. C. an unsupported thermally-stable polycrystalline diamond or CBN compact. The drill bit is made in another aspect of the invention by forming a slot in the head of the rotary drill and then brazing an unsupported thermally-stable polycrystalline diamond or CBN compact therein with a brazing alloy preferably having a liquidus greater than 7000.degree. C. For present purposes, polycrystalline diamond and CBN compacts are termed "thermally stable" by being able to withstand a temperature of 1200.degree. C. in a vacuum without any significant structural degradation of the compact occurring.

Abstract: A method for making supported, thermally stable cubic boron nitride (CBN) or wurtzitic boron nitride (WBN) compacts or wire dies comprising providing a mass of sinterable CBN and WBN particles substantially free of catalytic material and a metal bonded support mass or annulus; positioning a barrier layer between said CBN or WBN mass and said support mass; and subjecting such arrangement of materials to pressure and temperature conditions for a time effective for sintering said CBN or WBN particles and substantially preventing migration of metal bond material into the CBN or WBN mass.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for making a supported PCD or CBN compact comprising placing in an enclosure a cup assembly having a mass of diamond or CBN particles having a surface and the mass of cemented metal carbide having a surface, and optionally a catalyst for diamond (or optionally, CBN) recrystallization, said surfaces being in adjacency to form an interface. The enclosure then is subjected to a high pressure/high temperature process which results in diamond or CBN compacts preferably characterized by diamond-to-diamond or CBN-to-CBN bonding joined to a cemented carbide support at their respective surfaces. The supported compacts are recovered from the enclosure and cup assemblies and finished. The finished supported compacts in the enclosure exhibit non-planar bonded interface resulting in PCD or CBN compacts of substantially non-uniform thickness.