Patent attributes
Embodiments relate to polycrystalline diamond compacts (“PDCs”) including a substrate and a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) table mounted to the substrate. The PCD table includes an upper surface and one or more recesses extending inwardly from the upper surface of the PCD table. The one or more recesses may help prevent, stop, or limit crack propagation and may redistribute, breakup, or relieve stresses in the PCD table. In some embodiments, the one or more recesses exhibit, in plain view, a generally rectangular geometry, a generally circular geometry, or a generally triangular geometry. In some embodiments, the PCD table includes one or more channels that extend from a vertex of the one or more recesses. In some embodiments, the one or more channels and the one or more recesses may be at least partially filled with a sacrificial material. Methods for forming such PDCs are also discussed.
