Patent ID: 8702824

Claim:
A method of fabricating a polycrystalline diamond compact, comprising: forming an assembly including: a first region including a mixture having diamond particles exhibiting a first average particle size and one or more sp 2 -carbon-containing additives, the first region exhibiting a first thickness; a substrate; and an intermediate second region disposed between the substrate and the first region, the intermediate second region including diamond particles exhibiting a second average particle size greater than that of the first average particle size of the diamond particle of the first region, the intermediate second region exhibiting a second thickness such that the first thickness is about 5 to about 25 times less than the second thickness, the intermediate region being substantially free of sp 2 -carbon-containing additives; and subjecting the assembly to a high-pressure/high-temperature process to sinter the diamond particles of the first region and the intermediate second region in the presence of a metal-solvent catalyst so that a polycrystalline diamond table is formed that bonds to the substrate.