High pressure and high temperature sintering of fine-grained PCD using bi-layered assembly.

This work presents the study of the synthesis and characterization of polycrystalline diamond (PCD) compacts using a bi-layered assembly method and solving the catastrophic nature of failure molding when using single-layered assembly and 0.5-1.5 μm diamond powder as starting materials. The well-sintered PCD compacts are prepared on WC-16wt% Co substrates at temperatures from 1350 °C to 1500 °C for 15 min at static high pressure of 5.2 GPa, using the bi-layered assembly method. According to our scanning electron microscope observation, the specimens sintered at 1450 °C have a homogeneous microstructure. The graphitization of the diamond appears at 1500 °C according to X-ray diffraction analysis. The specimens sintered at 1450 °C show the best performance according to the wear resistance test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]