Bn) drilling tools made of wurtzite boron nitride (W-BN)

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11866372-B2
Application number	US-202117316187-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2021
Priority date	May 28, 2020
Publication date	Jan 9, 2024
Grant date	Jan 9, 2024

Abstract

Systems and methods include a computer-implemented method can be used to make drilling tools from new wurtzite boron nitride (w-BN) superhard material. An ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature operation is performed on pure w-BN powder to synthesize w-BN and cubic boron nitride (c-BN) compact having a first size greater than particles of the pure w-BN powder. The ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature operation includes pressurizing the w-BN powder to a pressure of approximately 20 Gigapascal, heating the w-BN powder at a heating rate of 100° C./minute and cooling the w-BN powder at a cooling rate of 50° C./minute. The compact is cut to a second size smaller than the first size using laser cutting tools. The cut compact is bonded metallurgically, mechanically, or both metallurgically and mechanically onto a tool substrate to form the drilling tool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method to form a tool for oil and gas application, the method comprising:
performing an ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature operation on pure wurtzite boron nitride (w-BN) powder to synthesize a BN compact comprising w-BN and cubic boron nitride (c-BN), wherein the BN compact has a first size greater than particles of the pure w-BN powder, and wherein the ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature operation comprises:
pressurizing the w-BN powder to a pressure of approximately 20 gigapascals, forming pressurized powder;
heating the pressurized powder at a heating rate of 100° C./minute, forming the BN compact; and
cooling the BN compact at a cooling rate of 50° C./minute;
cutting the BN compact into a plurality of cut compacts having a second size smaller than the first size using laser cutting tools;
inserting the plurality of cut compacts within a respective plurality of recesses formed in a tool substrate;
heating the tool substrate with the plurality of inserted cut compacts; and
after heating the tool substrate, cooling the tool substrate with the plurality of inserted cut compacts to form the tool, wherein heating the tool substrate comprises heating the tool substrate to a temperature in a range of from 200° C. to 300° C. at a heating rate in a range of from 5° C./minute to 10° C./minute.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising mixing the plurality of cut compacts with an additive comprising at least one binder for binding the plurality of cut compacts metallurgically onto the tool substrate, mechanically onto the tool substrate, or both metallurgically and mechanically onto the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
identifying one or more of the plurality of cut compacts having a size greater than a threshold size of a size range; and
re-cutting, using the laser cutting tools, the one or more of the plurality of cut compacts having the size greater than the threshold size.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein identifying the one or more of the plurality of cut compacts having the size greater than the threshold size includes using a laser scanner to measure the plurality of cut compacts.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising cooling the compact with a cooling liquid during a cutting process that includes the cutting.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising:
determining a pressure and temperature window at which the ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature operation forms the compact; and
executing the ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature operation within the pressure and temperature window.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the BN compact has an octahedron shape.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co
• Chengdu Dongwei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhan Guodong
• Moellendick Timothy E
• Li Bodong
• He Duanwei

Classifications

• C22C1/051

  Making hard metals based on borides, carbides, nitrides, oxides or silicides; Preparation of the powder mixture used as the starting material therefor · CPC title

• C04B35/5831 Primary

  based on cubic boron nitrides {or Wurtzitic boron nitrides, including crystal structure transformation of powder} · CPC title

• B24B19/04

  for fluting drill shanks · CPC title

• C04B35/645

  Pressure sintering · CPC title

• C04B2235/386

  Boron nitrides · CPC title