This study investigates the thermal shock property of a polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) produced by a high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) sintering process. Three kinds of PDCs are manufactured by the HPHT sintering process using different particle sizes of the initial diamond powders: 8-16 μm (D50 = 4.3 μm), 10-20 μm (D50 = 6.92 μm), and 12-22 μm (D50 = 8.94 μm). The microstructure observation results for the manufactured PDCs reveal that elemental Co and W are present along the interface of the diamond particles. The fractions of Co and WC in the PDC increase as the initial particle size decreases. The manufactured PDCs are subjected to thermal shock tests at two temperatures of 780oC and 830oC. The results reveal that the PDC with a smaller particle size of diamond easily produces microscale thermal cracks. This is mainly because of the abundant presence of Co and WC phases along the diamond interface and the easy formation of Co-based (CoO, Co3O4) and W-based (WO2) oxides in the PDC using smaller diamond particles. The microstructural factors for controlling the thermal shock property of PDC material are also discussed.

This study investigates the microstructure and thermal shock properties of polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) produced by the high-temperature, high-pressure (HPHT) process. The diamond used for the investigation features a 12~22 μm- and 8~16 μm-sized main particles, and 1~2 μm-sized filler particles. The filler particle ratio is adjusted up to 5~31% to produce a mixed particle, and then the tap density is measured. The measurement finds that as the filler particle ratio increases, the tap density value continuously increases, but at 23% or greater, it reduces by a small margin. The mixed particle described above undergoes an HPHT sintering process. Observation of PDC microstructures reveals that the filler particle ratio with high tap density value increases direct bonding among diamond particles, Co distribution becomes even, and the Co and W fraction also decreases. The produced PDC undergoes thermal shock tests with two temperature conditions of 820 and 830, and the results reveals that PDC with smaller filler particle ratio and low tap density value easily produces cracks, while PDC with high tap density value that contributes in increased direct bonding along with the higher diamond content results in improved thermal shock properties.

Thermal shock resistance property has recently been considered to be one of the most important basic properties, in the same way that the transverse-rupture property is important for sintered hard materials such as ceramics, cemented carbides, and cermets. Attempts were made to evaluate the thermal shock resistance property of 10 vol% TaC added Ti(C,N)-Ni cermets using the infrared radiation heating method. The method uses a thin circular disk that is heated by infrared rays in the central area with a constant heat flux. The technique makes it possible to evaluate the thermal shock strength (Tss) and thermal shock fracture toughness (Tsf) directly from the electric powder charge and the time of fracture, despite the fact that Tss and Tsf consist of the thermal properties of the material tested. Tsf can be measured for a specimen with an edge notch, while Tss cannot be measured for specimens without such a notch. It was thought, however, that Tsf might depend on the radius of curvature of the edge notch. Using the Tsf data, Tss was calculated using a consideration of the stress concentration. The thermal shock resistance property of 10 vol% TaC added Ti(C,N)-Ni cermet increased with increases in the content of nitrogen and Ni. As a result, it was considered that Tss could be applied to an evaluation of the thermal shock resistance of cermets.