Strength and plastic deformation of polycrystalline diamond composites

ABSTRACT

The use of nanopolycrystalline diamond has allowed a systematic study on deformation of polycrystalline diamond composites (PCDCs). Bulk PCDCs samples containing either Co or SiC as a binding agent were deformed under high pressure and temperature to strains up to 18% at strain rates ～10^?5?s^?1. All samples exhibit strong work hardening. The strength of PCDCs depends on the amount and type of binding agents and is consistently weaker than that of diamond single crystals. The weakening may be due to the binder materials, which play an important role in affecting grain boundary structures. In SiC-based PCDC, significant grain fragmentation occurs. Nearly all grain boundaries are wetted by SiC after large deformation, resulting in lower strength. In Co-based PCDC, the microstructure is dominated by dislocations, deformation twins, and separated grain boundaries. The density of deformation twins increases significantly with strain, with the twin domain width reaching as low as 10–20?nm at 14% strain.