Drill bit with reinforced binder zones

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11466518-B2
Application number	US-201515570426-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 11, 2015
Priority date	Jun 11, 2015
Publication date	Oct 11, 2022
Grant date	Oct 11, 2022

Abstract

A drill bit having reinforced binder zones and method of forming same are disclosed. The method includes the steps of mixing reinforcing particles with a binder-reinforcing material, placing the mixture of reinforcing particles and binder-reinforcing material in a mold used in forming a body of the drill bit, placing a universal binder in the mold, and heating the mold. The binder-reinforcing material is infiltrated with the universal binder which thereby forms reinforced binder zones.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A drill bit having a body formed of a material composition comprising:
at least one region comprising reinforcing particles infiltrated with a universal binder, and
reinforced binder zones formed among reinforcing particles in the at least one region, the reinforced binder zones each comprising a binder-reinforcing material also infiltrated with the universal binder and having a different composition than the reinforcing particles in the at least one region, the reinforced binder zones further comprising an intermetallic material composition or a stiff alloy composition of the universal binder material chemically reacted with the binder-reinforcing material.

2. The drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein the intermetallic composition of the reinforced binder zones comprises at least two materials that form a refractory intermetallic phase.

3. The drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein the intermetallic composition of the reinforced binder zones comprises intermetallic reinforcement particles.

4. The drill bit according to claim 3 , wherein the intermetallic reinforcement particles are precipitated out of a grain structure exclusively in, along, or near the grain boundaries of the universal binder in the reinforced binder zones.

5. The drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforced binder zones comprise a binder-reinforced material based on Cu, Ni, Mn, Zn, Ag, Al, Au, B, Co, Cr, Fe, In, Mo, P, Pb, Pd, Si, Sn, or a combination thereof.

6. The drill bit according to claim 5 , wherein the binder-reinforced material based on Cu, Ni, Mn, Zn, Ag, Al, Au, B, Co, Cr, Fe, In, Mo, P, Pb, Pd, Si, Sn, or a combination thereof, further comprises a metal.

7. The drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforced binder zones comprise an alloy with a miscibility gap.

8. The drill bit according to claim 7 , wherein at least one constituent of the alloy with the miscibility gap forms individual grains and/or particles through melting, diffusion, or non-interaction, which grains or particles will not dissolve into at least one other constituent alloy.

9. The drill bit according to claim 7 , wherein the alloy with a miscibility gap is formed between constituents of the binder-reinforcing material or through interaction between constituents of the universal binder and binder-reinforcing material.

10. The drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforced binder zones are disposed in layers of substantially the same thickness among the at least one region.

11. The drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforced binder zones are located proximate a junk slot formed in the body of the drill bit.

12. The drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforced binder zones are located proximate an apex of a blade formed by the body of the drill bit.

13. The drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforced binder zones are located proximate an outer surface of the blade.

14. The drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein each subsequent layer in which the reinforced binder zones are disposed increases in thickness.

15. The drill bit according to claim 14 , wherein the reinforced binder zones are disposed in layers that increase in thickness in a direction toward an apex region of a blade formed by the body of the drill bit.

16. The drill bit according to claim 7 , wherein the alloy with the miscibility gap is a copper-based alloy or a nickel-based alloy comprising at least one constituent selected from the group consisting of: Ag, Au, B, Ba, Bi, C, Co, Cr, Fe, Mo, Nb, Pb, Re, Ta, Tl, and V.

17. The drill bit according to claim 7 , wherein the alloy with the miscibility gap is a copper-based alloy comprising at least one constituent selected from the group consisting of: Ag, B, Bi, C, Co, Cr, Fe, Mo, Nb, Pb, Re, Ta, Tl, and V.

18. The drill bit according to claim 7 , wherein the alloy with the miscibility gap is a nickel-based alloy comprising at least one constituent selected from the group consisting of: Ag, Au, Ba, C, Pb, and Tl.

19. The drill bit according to claim 2 , wherein the at least two materials that form the refractory intermetallic phase comprise:
at least one of copper and nickel; and
at least one constituent selected from the group consisting of: As, Au, Cd, Fe, Hf, Hg, Mn, Mo, Nb, Pt, Sc, Ta, Ti, V, Y, Zn, and Zr.

20. The drill bit according to claim 1 , wherein the reinforcing particles comprise tungsten carbide.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Voglewede Brendan
• Cook Iii Grant O

Classifications

• E21B10/46

  characterised by wear resisting parts, e.g. diamond inserts · CPC title

• C22C29/067

  comprising a particular metallic binder · CPC title

• C22C29/005

  comprising a particular metallic binder · CPC title

• E21B10/54 Primary

  the bit being of the rotary drag type, e.g. fork-type bits · CPC title

• E21B10/42 Primary

  Rotary drag type drill bits with teeth, blades or like cutting elements, e.g. fork-type bits, fish tail bits (characterised by wear resisting parts E21B10/46; by conduits or nozzles for drilling fluid E21B10/60; by detachable or adjustable parts E21B10/62) · CPC title