Drill bit with reinforced binder zones

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018142521-A1
Application number	US-201515570426-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 11, 2015
Priority date	Jun 11, 2015
Publication date	May 24, 2018
Grant date	—

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:
reinforcing particles, and reinforced binder zones formed among the reinforcing particles, the reinforced binder zones comprising a binder-reinforcing material infiltrated with a universal binder.

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

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

4 . The drill bit according to claim 3 , wherein the intermetallic reinforcement particles are located in, along, or near the grain boundaries of the universal binder.

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, W, 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, W, 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 comprise a metal-matrix composite material which comprises a composition selected from the group consisting of a carbide, boride, nitride, silicide, oxide and combinations thereof in a metallic matrix.

11 . A method of forming a drill bit comprising:
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 fixed-cutter bit; placing a universal binder in the mold; and heating the mold, wherein the binder-reinforcing material is infiltrated with the universal binder so as to form reinforced binder zones.

12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the binder-reinforcing material is preplaced in layers with the reinforcing particles in selected regions of the mold prior to placing the universal binder in the mold.

13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the reinforced binder zones comprise intermetallic reinforcement particles that are formed via diffusion, chemical reaction in-situ or after solidification, or during a post-infiltration heat treatment.

14 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the reinforced binder zones comprise intermetallic reinforcement particles that are formed during the infiltration process, that are preplaced and blended into the mold, or that are formed during a post-infiltration heat treatment process.

15 . The method according to claim 11 , 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, W, or a combination thereof

16 . The method according to claim 15 , 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, W, or a combination thereof, further comprises a metal.

17 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the reinforced binder zones comprise at least two materials that form a refractory intermetallic phase.

18 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the reinforced binder zones comprise an alloy with a miscibility gap, 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.

19 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the reinforced binder zones comprise an alloy with a miscibility gap, which is formed between constituents of the binder-reinforcing material or through interaction between constituents of the universal binder and binder-reinforcing material.

20 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the reinforced binder zones comprise a metal-matrix composite material which comprises a composition selected from the group consisting of a carbide, boride, nitride, silicide, oxide and combinations thereof in a metallic matrix.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Voglewede Brendan
• Cook Iii Grant O

Classifications

• C22C29/067

  comprising a particular metallic binder · 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

• 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

• B22F2005/001

  Cutting tools, earth boring or grinding tool other than table ware · CPC title

• C22C29/005

  comprising a particular metallic binder · CPC title