Mesoscale reinforcement of metal matrix composites

• US 10,641,045 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Cook, III, Grant O., Thomas, Jeffrey G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutchins, Cathleen R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Malikasim, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US14/905,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20170107764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,838 Days
• Field of Search: 428545, 428548, 428551, 428552, 428553, 428557, 428558, 428560
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/05 Metallic powder characterised by the size or surface area of the particles
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/12 by photopolymerisation, e.g. stereolithography [SLA] or digital light processing [DLP]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/18 by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/25 Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/28 Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2005/001 Cutting tools, earth boring or grinding tool other than table ware
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2007/066 using impregnation
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 7/062 involving the connection or repairing of preformed parts
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/0086 welding for purposes other than joining, e.g. built-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/002 Drill-bits
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/342 Build-up welding
• CPC Class Codes: B28B 1/001 Rapid manufacturing of 3D objects by additive depositing, agglomerating or laminating of material selective deposition modelling of metallic powder B22F10/00; rapid manufacturing of 3D objects in general and in particular of plastics B29C64/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/153 using layers of powder being selectively joined, e.g. by selective laser sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 10/42 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 Class Codes: E21B 10/602 the bit being a rotary drag type bit with blades
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

A metal matrix composite (MMC) tool includes a mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion that comprises reinforcing particles and mesoscale reinforcing structures dispersed in a binder material. The mesoscale reinforcing structures are printed using at least one additive manufacturing technique and are larger than an average powder-size distribution of the reinforcing particles.

Claims

1. A metal matrix composite (MMC) tool, comprising:

a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer,

each layer comprising a mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion that comprises reinforcing particles and mesoscale reinforcing structures dispersed in a binder material, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures are printed three-dimensional polyhedra skeletal structures with an open face, the mesoscale reinforcing structures are larger than an average powder-size distribution of the reinforcing particles, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures are configured to have a melting point that is different than a melting point of the binder material, and wherein a concentration of the mesoscale reinforcing structures in the second layer is between concentrations of the mesoscale reinforcing structures in the first and third layers;

wherein the MMC tool is a tool selected from the group consisting of an oilfield drill bit or cutting tool, a non-retrievable drilling component, an aluminum drill bit body, a drill-string stabilizer, a cone for a roller-cone drill bit, a model for forging dies, an arm for a fixed reamer, an arm for an expandable reamer, an internal component associated with an expandable reamer, a sleeve attachable to an uphole end of a rotary drill bit, a rotary steering tool, a logging-while-drilling tool, a measurement-while-drilling tool, a side-wall coring tool, a fishing spear, a washover tool, a rotor, a stator and/or housing for a downhole drilling motor, a blade for a downhole turbine, and any combination thereof.

2. The MMC tool of claim 1, wherein the average powder-size distribution of the reinforcing particles is between 2.5 μ

m and 1000 μ

m.

3. The MMC tool of claim 1, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures exhibit an overall average length on the order of 5000 μ

m.

4. The MMC tool of claim 1, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures comprise geometric features that exhibit a diameter or thickness that ranges from 25 μ

m to 750 μ

m.

5. The MMC tool of claim 1, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures are present in the mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion at 1% to 30% by weight of the reinforcing particles.

6. The MMC tool of claim 1, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures are printed using at least one additive manufacturing technique selected from the group consisting of laser sintering, laser melting, electron-beam melting, laser metal deposition, fused deposition modeling, fused filament fabrication, selective laser sintering, stereolithography, laminated object manufacturing, polyjet, and any combination thereof.

7. The MMC tool of claim 6, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures comprise an intermetallic or ceramic composition made from a base metal exposed to at least one of carburizing, nitriding, oxidizing, and a liquid-metal bath, and wherein the base metal is printed via the at least one additive manufacturing technique.

8. The MMC tool of claim 1, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures comprise a material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, rhenium, iridium, ruthenium, beryllium, titanium, chromium, rhodium, iron, cobalt, copper, copper alloys, Cu—

Ni alloys, Cu—

Ni—

Mn alloys, Cu—

Ni—

Mn—

Zn alloys, Cu—

Ni—

Mn—

Sb alloys, uranium, silicon, nickel, steel, stainless steel, austenitic steel, ferritic steel, martensitic steel, precipitation-hardening steel, duplex stainless steel, an iron alloy, a nickel alloy, a chromium alloy, carbon, a ceramic, carbides, oxides, nitrides, silicides, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, silica, alumina, titania, mullite, zirconia, boron nitride, boron carbide, titanium carbide, an intermetallic, titanium nitride, tungsten carbide, a plastic, a thermoplastic, a polymer, a conductive plastic composite, a metal clay, a clay, a carbonate, magnesium oxide, and the like, and any combination thereof.

9. The MMC tool of claim 1, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures are printed three-dimensional shapes selected from the group consisting of a polyhedron, a polygonal plate, a circular plate, an ovoid plate, a rod-based member, a crystalline structure, a microstructure, and any combination thereof.

10. The MMC tool of claim 1, wherein the MMC tool is a drill bit comprising:

a bit body that includes the mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion; and

a plurality of cutting elements coupled to an exterior of the bit body.

11. The MMC tool of claim 10, wherein the bit body further comprises a hard composite portion that includes the reinforcing particles but excludes the mesoscale reinforcing structures dispersed in the binder material.

12. The MMC tool of claim 11, further comprising:

a fluid cavity defined within the bit body;

at least one fluid flow passageway extending from the fluid cavity to the exterior of the bit body; and

at least one nozzle opening defined at an end of the at least one fluid flow passageway proximal the exterior of the bit body, wherein the mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion is located proximal the at least one nozzle opening.

13. The MMC tool of claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of cutter blades formed on the exterior of the bit body; and

a plurality of pockets defined in the plurality of cutter blades, wherein the mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion is located proximal the plurality of pockets.

14. The MMC tool of claim 10, wherein the bit body comprises the mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion.

15. The MMC tool of claim 10, wherein at least one of a concentration, a composition, geometry, and a size of the mesoscale reinforcing structures varies within the mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion.

16. A drill bit, comprising:

a bit body; and

a plurality of cutting elements coupled to an exterior of the bit body, wherein at least a portion of the bit body comprises a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer,

each layer comprising a mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion that comprises reinforcing particles and mesoscale reinforcing structures dispersed in a binder material, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures are configured to have a melting point that is different than a melting point of the binder material, and wherein a concentration of the mesoscale reinforcing structures in the second layer is between concentrations of the mesoscale reinforcing structures in the first and third layers, and

wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures are printed three-dimensional polyhedra skeletal structures with an open face, the mesoscale reinforcing structures are larger than an average powder-size distribution of the reinforcing particles.

17. The drill bit of claim 16, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures are present in the mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion at 1% to 30% by weight of the reinforcing particles.

18. The drill bit of claim 16, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures are printed using at least one additive manufacturing technique selected from the group consisting of laser sintering, laser melting, laser metal deposition, fused deposition modeling, fused filament fabrication, selective laser sintering, stereolithography, laminated object manufacturing, polyjet, and any combination thereof.

19. The drill bit of claim 18, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures comprise an intermetallic or ceramic composition made from a base metal exposed to at least one of carburizing, nitriding, oxidizing, and a liquid-metal bath, and wherein the base metal is printed via the at least one additive manufacturing technique.

20. The drill bit of claim 18, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures are printed three-dimensional shapes selected from the group consisting of a polyhedron, a polygonal plate, a circular plate, an ovoid plate, a rod-based member, a crystalline structure, a microstructure, and any combination thereof.

21. The drill bit of claim 16, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures comprise a material selected from the group consisting of tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, tantalum, rhenium, iridium, ruthenium, beryllium, titanium, chromium, rhodium, iron, cobalt, copper, copper alloys, Cu—

Ni alloys, Cu—

Ni—

Mn alloys, Cu—

Ni—

Mn—

Zn alloys, Cu—

Ni—

Mn—

Sb alloys, uranium, silicon, nickel, steel, stainless steel, austenitic steel, ferritic steel, martensitic steel, precipitation-hardening steel, duplex stainless steel, an iron alloy, a nickel alloy, a chromium alloy, carbon, a ceramic, carbides, oxides, nitrides, silicides, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon dioxide, silica, alumina, titania, mullite, zirconia, boron nitride, boron carbide, titanium carbide, an intermetallic, titanium nitride, tungsten carbide, a plastic, a thermoplastic, a polymer, a conductive plastic composite, a rubber, an elastomer, a metal clay, a clay, a carbonate, magnesium oxide, and the like, and any combination thereof.

22. The drill bit of claim 16, wherein the bit body is coupled to a shank to form a bit head, and the bit head has an apex opposite the shank, and wherein the concentration of the mesoscale reinforcing structures in each layer decreases radially from the center or longitudinally from the apex toward the shank in the mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion.

23. The drill bit of claim 16, wherein the bit body is coupled to a shank to form a bit head, and the bit head has an apex opposite the shank, and wherein the concentration of the mesoscale reinforcing structures in each layer increases radially from the center or longitudinally from the apex toward the shank in the mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion.

24. The drill bit of claim 16, wherein at least one of a composition, a geometry, or a size of the mesoscale reinforcing structures varies within the mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion.

25. A drilling assembly, comprising:

a drill string extendable from a drilling platform and into a wellbore;

a drill bit attached to an end of the drill string; and

a pump fluidly connected to the drill string and configured to circulate a drilling fluid to the drill bit and through the wellbore, wherein the drill bit comprises;

a bit body; and

a plurality of cutting elements coupled to an exterior of the bit body, wherein at least a portion of the bit body comprises a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, each layer comprising a mesoscale-reinforced hard composite portion that comprises reinforcing particles and mesoscale reinforcing structures dispersed in a binder material, wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures are configured to have a melting point that is different than a melting point of the binder material, and wherein a concentration of the mesoscale reinforcing structures in the second layer is between concentrations of the mesoscale reinforcing structures in the first and third layers, and

wherein the mesoscale reinforcing structures are printed three-dimensional polyhedra skeletal structures with an open face, the mesoscale reinforcing structures are larger than an average powder-size distribution of the reinforcing particles.