Chemically strengthened bond between thermally stable polycrystalline hard materials and braze material

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016348446-A1
Application number	US-201414890820-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 22, 2014
Priority date	Dec 22, 2014
Publication date	Dec 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Chemical methods, optionally in combination with physical methods, may be used to increase the strength of the bond formed by a braze material between a polycrystalline material and a hard composite. Such polycrystalline materials brazed to hard composites may be found in various wellbore tools include drill bit cutters. An exemplary method may include forming a bonding layer on a bonding surface of a polycrystalline material body that comprises a hard material, the bonding surface opposing a contact surface of the polycrystalline material body, and the bonding layer substantially formed by a [111] crystal structure of the hard material, a [100] crystal structure of the hard material, or a combination thereof; and brazing the bonding layer to a hard composite using a braze material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
forming a bonding layer on a bonding surface of a polycrystalline material body that comprises a hard material, the bonding surface opposing a contact surface of the polycrystalline material body, and the bonding layer substantially formed by a [111] crystal structure of the hard material, a [100] crystal structure of the hard material, or a combination thereof; and brazing the bonding layer to a hard composite using a braze material.

2 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
forming the bonding layer to have a thickness of 10 microns to 250 microns at the bonding surface.

3 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
masking the bonding surface of the polycrystalline material body before forming the bonding layer; and
removing the mask after forming the bonding layer and before brazing the bonding layer to the hard composite.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hard material is diamond, the bonding layer is substantially formed by the [111] crystal structure of the diamond, and forming the bonding layer involves:
treating the bonding surface with a hydrogen plasma in the presence of oxygen and a carbon-containing gas at 600° C. to 1100° C. at a total pressure 30 torr or greater and a gas composition of 200 parts to 250 parts hydrogen, 0.5 parts to 3 parts oxygen, and 3 parts to 8 parts carbon-containing gas.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hard material is diamond, the bonding layer is substantially formed by the [100] crystal structure of the diamond, and forming the bonding layer involves:
treating the bonding surface with a hydrogen plasma in the presence of oxygen and a carbon-containing gas at 600° C. to 1100° C. at a total pressure less than 30 torr and a gas composition of 200 parts to 250 parts hydrogen, 0.5 parts to 3 parts oxygen, and 3 parts to 8 parts carbon-containing gas.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hard material is cubic boron nitride.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the hard material is silicon carbide.

8 . A method comprising:
depositing a refractory nitride layer on a bonding surface of a polycrystalline material body that comprises a hard material, the bonding surface opposing a contact surface of the polycrystalline material body; forming a bonding layer on the refractory nitride layer, the bonding layer substantially formed by a [111] crystal structure of the hard material, a [100] crystal structure of the hard material, or a combination thereof; and brazing the bonding layer to a hard composite using a braze material.

9 . The method of claim 8 further comprising:
forming the bonding layer to have a thickness of 10 microns to 250 microns at the bonding surface.

10 . The method of claim 8 further comprising:
masking the refractory nitride layer before forming the bonding layer; and
removing the mask after forming the bonding layer and before brazing the bonding layer to the hard composite.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the hard material is diamond, the bonding layer is substantially formed by the [111] crystal structure of the diamond, and forming the bonding layer involves:
treating the refractory nitride layer with a hydrogen plasma in the presence of oxygen and a carbon-containing gas at 600° C. to 1100° C. at a total pressure 30 torr or greater and a gas composition of 200 parts to 250 parts hydrogen, 0.5 parts to 3 parts oxygen, and 3 parts to 8 parts carbon-containing gas.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the hard material is diamond, the bonding layer is substantially formed by the [100] crystal structure of the diamond, and forming the bonding layer involves:
treating the refractory nitride layer with a hydrogen plasma in the presence of oxygen and a carbon-containing gas at 600° C. to 1100° C. at a total pressure less than 30 torr and a gas composition of 200 parts to 250 parts hydrogen, 0.5 parts to 3 parts oxygen, and 3 parts to 8 parts carbon-containing gas.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the hard material is cubic boron nitride.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the hard material is silicon carbide.

15 . A cutter comprising:
a polycrystalline material body having a bonding surface opposing a contact surface; a bonding layer disposed on the bonding surface, the bonding layer substantially formed by a [111] crystal structure, a [100] crystal structure, or a combination thereof; and a hard composite bound to the bonding layer opposite the polycrystalline material body with a braze material.

16 . The drill bit cutter of claim 15 , wherein the bonding layer has a thickness of 10 microns to 250 microns at the bonding surface.

17 . The drill bit cutter of claim 15 , wherein the hard material is diamond.

18 . The drill bit cutter of claim 15 , wherein the hard material is cubic boron nitride.

19 . The drill bit cutter of claim 15 , wherein the hard material is silicon carbide.

20 . A drilling assembly comprising:
a drill string extendable from a drilling platform and into a wellbore; a pump fluidly connected to the drill string and configured to circulate a drilling fluid into the drill string and through the wellbore; and a drill bit attached to an end of the drill string, the drill bit having a matrix bit body and a plurality of cutting cutters according to claim 6 coupled to an exterior portion of the matrix bit body.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Saini Gagan
• Liang Qi

Classifications

• E21B10/567

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

• B23K2201/002

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• C04B37/001

  directly with other burned ceramic articles · CPC title

• E21B10/5735 Primary

  Interface between the substrate and the cutting element · CPC title

• B23K1/0008

  specially adapted for particular articles or work · CPC title