Polycrystalline diamond cutters sintered with magnesium carbonate in cubic anvil press

Polycrystalline diamond cutters (PDC) were sintered with magnesium carbonate (MgCO3) around 8 GPa and 2200–2400 °C in a single-stage cubic anvil press. Different analyzing techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were applied to characterize the micro-structure, sintering behavior, and composition of the diamond-MgCO3 system. Wear resistance, thermal stability, and rupture strength of MgCO3-sintered PDC were compared against conventional cobalt-sintered PDC. An improvement in performance was observed from our laboratory tests, which may enable MgCO3-sintered PDC to be a functional superhard material for the cutting, drilling, and machining industries.

► Diamond–MgCO3 PDC was sintered around 8 GPa/2300 °C in a multi anvil cube press.
► Diamond–MgCO3 has better abrasion, thermal stability, and strength than Co-PDC.
► Presence of inert MgCO3 is crucial for diamond–MgCO3 PDC's mechanical properties.
► Diamond–MgCO3 PDC is a potential functional material for industrial applications.