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Abstract

A process for producing a diamond compact comprised of diamond crystals bonded mainly by silicon carbide. The diamond crystals are intimately mixed with silicon in the proportions 97 to 65 percent by weight of diamond to 3 to 35 percent by weight of silicon. The thus-mixed diamond crystals and silicon are placed immediately adjacent to one or more bodies of silicon within a container and subjected to high pressure and temperature so as to cause melting of the premixed silicon and of the external silicon which infiltrates into the interstitial spaces between the diamond crystals to cause most of the silicon between the diamond crystals to react with diamond to produce silicon carbide. The elevated temperature is in the range 1,100.degree. to 18,000.degree. C., and the elevated pressure is in the range 10 to 40 kilobars. The resulting compact contains between 50 and 85 volume percent of diamond with a density of at least 3.35 g/cm.sup.3 and a compressive strength of at least 10 kilobars.

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