Earth-boring tools and methods of forming tools including hard particles in a binder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016333643-A1
Application number	US-201615223699-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 29, 2016
Priority date	Apr 28, 2004
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Binder compositions for use in forming a bit body of an earth-boring bit include at least one of cobalt, nickel, and iron, and at least one melting point-reducing constituent selected from at least one of a transition metal carbide up to 60 weight percent, a transition metal boride up to 60 weight percent, and a transition metal silicide up to 60 weight percent, wherein the weight percentages are based on the total weight of the binder. Earth-boring bit bodies include a cemented tungsten carbide material comprising tungsten carbide and a metallic binder, wherein the tungsten carbide comprises greater than 75 volume percent of the cemented tungsten carbide material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An earth-boring tool, comprising:
a body comprising hard particles in a binder material, the hard particles comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of a transition metal carbide, a transition metal nitride, a transition metal boride, and a transition metal silicide, the binder material comprising a eutectic or near-eutectic composition.

2 . The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the hard particles comprise a transition metal carbide.

3 . The earth-boring tool of claim 2 , wherein the body comprises greater than 75 volume percent of the transition metal carbide.

4 . The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the eutectic or near-eutectic composition comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of cobalt, iron, and nickel.

5 . The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the hard particles comprise tungsten carbide.

6 . The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the eutectic or near-eutectic composition comprises tungsten carbide and cobalt.

7 . The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the hard particles comprise a transition metal carbide and wherein the binder material also comprises a transition metal carbide.

8 . The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the body is at least substantially comprised of the hard particles and the binder material.

9 . The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a bit body of an earth-boring rotary drill bit.

10 . The earth-boring tool of claim 9 , wherein the bit body defines at least one pocket, wherein at least one surface of the at least one surface comprises the hard particles and the binder material

11 . The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises a discontinuous phase of the hard particles within a continuous matrix of the binder material.

12 . The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the binder material exhibits a melting temperature between 1,050° C. and 1,350° C.

13 . The earth-boring tool of claim 1 , wherein the binder material further comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of a transition metal carbide, a transition element, tungsten, carbon, boron, silicon, chromium, manganese, silver, aluminum, copper, tin, and zinc.

14 . A method of forming an earth-boring tool, comprising:
forming a binder material comprising a eutectic or near-eutectic composition; and combining hard particles with the binder material to form a body of an earth-boring tool, the hard particles comprising at least one of a transition metal carbide, a transition metal nitride, a transition metal boride, and a transition metal silicide.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein forming a binder material comprises forming a molten binder material.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein forming a binder material comprises forming a binder material comprising a transition metal carbide and at least one of cobalt, iron, and nickel.

17 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising casting the body of the earth-boring tool from a mixture of the binder material and the hard particles.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein casting the body of the earth-boring tool comprises directly casting the body without infiltrating a mass of the hard particles.

19 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising forming a discontinuous phase of the hard particles within a continuous matrix of the binder material.

20 . An earth-boring tool, comprising:
a bit body comprising a discontinuous phase of hard particles within a continuous matrix of a binder material, the hard particles comprising at least one of a transition metal carbide, a transition metal nitride, a transition metal boride, and a transition metal silicide, the binder material comprising a eutectic or near-eutectic composition.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Inc
• Tdy Ind Llc

Inventors

• Mirchandani Prakash K
• Eason Jimmy W
• Oakes James J
• Westhoff James C
• Collins Gabriel B

Classifications

• C22C1/1047

  by mixing and casting liquid metal matrix composites · CPC title

• C22C1/1036

  starting from a melt · CPC title

• B22F1/12

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

• E21B10/567

  with preformed cutting elements mounted on a distinct support, e.g. polycrystalline inserts · CPC title

• E21B10/62

  characterised by parts, e.g. cutting elements, which are detachable or adjustable (E21B10/64 takes precedence; for roller bits E21B10/20; for augers E21B10/44) · CPC title