High strength, flowable, selectively degradable composite material and articles made thereby

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10947612-B2
Application number	US-201514641948-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 9, 2015
Priority date	Mar 9, 2015
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

A lightweight, selectively degradable composite material is disclosed. The composite material comprises a compacted powder mixture of a first powder, the first powder comprising first metal particles comprising Mg, Al, Mn, or Zn, or an alloy of any of the above, or a combination of any of the above, having a first particle oxidation potential, a second powder, the second powder comprising low-density ceramic, glass, cermet, intermetallic, metal, polymer, or inorganic compound second particles, and a third metal powder, the third metal powder comprising third metal particles having an oxidation potential that is different than the first particle oxidation potential. The compacted powder mixture has a microstructure comprising a matrix comprising the first metal particles, the second particles and third particles dispersed within the matrix, the third particles comprising a network of third particles extending throughout the matrix, the composite material having a density of about 3.5 g/cm3 or less.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A low density, selectively degradable composite material comprising a compacted powder mixture of a first powder, the first powder comprising first metal particles comprising Mg, Al, Mn, or Zn, or an alloy of any of the above, or a combination of any of the above, having a first particle oxidation potential, a second powder, the second powder comprising low-density, hollow or porous ceramic, cermet, intermetallic, metal, or polymer second particles, and a third metal powder, the third metal powder comprising third metal particles having an oxidation potential that is different than the first particle oxidation potential, the compacted powder mixture having a microstructure comprising:
a matrix comprising the first metal particles; and
the second particles and third particles dispersed within the matrix, the third particles comprising a network of third particles extending throughout the matrix, the low density, selectively degradable composite material having a density of about 3.5 g/cm3 or less;
wherein the composite material comprises about 15 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of the first metal particles, about 50 wt. % to 85 wt. % of the second particles, and about 0.5 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of the third metal particles, each based on a weight of the composite material.

2. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the third particles are substantially homogeneously dispersed within the matrix, and the network is substantially discontinuous, wherein adjacent third particles are not in touching contact with one another.

3. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the third particles are substantially homogeneously dispersed within the matrix, and wherein the network is partially continuous and adjacent third particles are in touching contact with one another throughout at least a portion of the matrix.

4. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the third particles are substantially homogeneously dispersed within the matrix, and wherein the network is locally continuous and adjacent third particles are in touching contact with one another throughout a localized portion of the matrix.

5. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the third particles are substantially homogeneously dispersed within the matrix, and wherein the network is continuous and adjacent third particles are in touching contact with one another throughout the matrix.

6. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the third particles are in touching contact with adjacent third particles and comprise an interconnected network of third particles within the matrix.

7. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the first particle oxidation potential is about 0.7 volts or more, and the third particle oxidation potential is about 0.5 volts or less.

8. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein a difference between the first particle oxidation potential and the third particle oxidation potential is about 0.7 to about 2.7 volts.

9. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the low density, selectively degradable composite material has a density of about 1.5 to about 3.5 g/cm3.

10. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the composite material has an ultimate compressive strength of at least 80 ksi.

11. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the composite material has an ultimate compressive strength of at least 100 ksi.

12. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the first metal particles have an average size of about 5 to about 300 μm.

13. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the first metal particles have an average size of about 75 to about 150 μm.

14. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the first metal particles comprise a magnesium-base alloy.

15. The composite material of claim 14 , wherein the magnesium-base alloy comprises an Mg—Si, Mg—Al, Mg—Zn, Mg—Mn, Mg—Al—Zn, Mg—Al—Mn, Mg—Zn—Zr, or Mg—X alloy, where X comprises a rare earth element, or an alloy thereof, or any other combination of the aforementioned.

16. The composite material of claim 15 , wherein the third metal particles comprise Ni, Fe, Cu, or Co, or an alloy thereof, or any combination thereof.

17. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the second particles have a density of about 0.1 to about 4.0 g/cm3.

18. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the metal second particles comprise hollow metal particles.

19. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the metal second particles comprise pure Ti or a Ti alloy.

20. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the metal second particles have an average particle size of about 10 to about 200 μm.

21. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic particles comprise metal carbide, nitride, or oxide particles, or a combination thereof.

22. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the ceramic particles comprise silicon carbide particles.

23. The composite material of claim 22 , wherein the silicon carbide particles have an average particle size of about 5 to about 200 μm.

24. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the second particles comprise substantially spherical particles.

25. The composite material of claim 1 , wherein the second particles comprise substantially non-spherical particles having rounded edges.

26. A selectively degradable article, comprising:
a low density, selectively degradable composite material, the composite material comprising a compacted powder mixture of a first powder, the first powder comprising first metal particles comprising Mg, Al, Mn, or Zn, or an alloy of any of the above, or a combination of any of the above, having a first particle oxidation potential, a second powder, the second powder comprising low-density, hollow or porous ceramic, cermet, intermetallic, metal, or polymer second particles, and a third metal powder, the third metal powder comprising third metal particles having an oxidation potential that is different than the first particle oxidation potential, the compacted powder mixture having a microstructure comprising:
a matrix comprising the first metal particles; and
the second particles and third particles dispersed within the matrix, the third particles comprising a network of third particles extending throughout the matrix, the low density, selectively degradable composite material having a density of about 3.5 g/cm3 or less;
wherein the composite material comprises about 15 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of the first metal particles, about 50 wt. % to 85 wt. % of the second particles, and about 0.5 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of the third metal particles, each based on a weight of the composite material.

27. The article of claim 26 , wherein the composite material comprises a selectively degradable downhole article.

28. The article of claim 27 , wherein the selectively degradable downhole article comprises a selectively degradable flow inhibition tool or component.

29. The article of claim 28 , wherein the selectively degradable flow inhibition tool or component is selected from the group consisting of a frac plug, bridge plug, wiper plug, shear out plug, debris barrier, atmospheric chamber disc, swabbing element protector, sealbore protector, screen protector, beaded screen protector, screen basepipe plug, drill in stim liner plug, inflow control device plug, flapper valve, gaslift valve, transmatic plugs, float shoe, dart, diver

Assignees

• Xu Zhiyue
• Salinas Bobby J
• Zhang Zhihui
• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Xu Zhiyue
• Salinas Bobby J
• Zhang Zhihui

Classifications

• B22F1/0655 Primary

  Hollow particles · CPC title

• B22F1/12

  Metallic powder containing non-metallic particles (containing lubricating or binding agents or organic material B22F1/10) · CPC title

• B22F1/09

  Mixtures of metallic powders · CPC title

• C22C33/0257

  characterised by the range of the alloying elements · CPC title

• C22C29/06

  based on carbides, but not containing other metal compounds · CPC title