US20240167124A1 - Copper-based alloy and metal matrix composite formed using same - Google Patents

Copper-based alloy and metal matrix composite formed using same Download PDF

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US20240167124A1
US20240167124A1 US18/550,446 US202218550446A US2024167124A1 US 20240167124 A1 US20240167124 A1 US 20240167124A1 US 202218550446 A US202218550446 A US 202218550446A US 2024167124 A1 US2024167124 A1 US 2024167124A1
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alloy
mmc
copper
matrix composite
tungsten carbide
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James Nathaniel Vecchio
Andy Bell
Zhongming Wang
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Oerlikon Metco US Inc
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Oerlikon Metco US Inc
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C1/00—Making non-ferrous alloys
    • C22C1/04—Making non-ferrous alloys by powder metallurgy
    • C22C1/0425—Copper-based alloys
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C29/00—Alloys based on carbides, oxides, nitrides, borides, or silicides, e.g. cermets, or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides
    • C22C29/02—Alloys based on carbides, oxides, nitrides, borides, or silicides, e.g. cermets, or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides based on carbides or carbonitrides
    • C22C29/06—Alloys based on carbides, oxides, nitrides, borides, or silicides, e.g. cermets, or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides based on carbides or carbonitrides based on carbides, but not containing other metal compounds
    • C22C29/10—Alloys based on carbides, oxides, nitrides, borides, or silicides, e.g. cermets, or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides based on carbides or carbonitrides based on carbides, but not containing other metal compounds based on titanium carbide
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C1/00—Making non-ferrous alloys
    • C22C1/10—Alloys containing non-metals
    • C22C1/1036—Alloys containing non-metals starting from a melt
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C29/00—Alloys based on carbides, oxides, nitrides, borides, or silicides, e.g. cermets, or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides
    • C22C29/02—Alloys based on carbides, oxides, nitrides, borides, or silicides, e.g. cermets, or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides based on carbides or carbonitrides
    • C22C29/06—Alloys based on carbides, oxides, nitrides, borides, or silicides, e.g. cermets, or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides based on carbides or carbonitrides based on carbides, but not containing other metal compounds
    • C22C29/08—Alloys based on carbides, oxides, nitrides, borides, or silicides, e.g. cermets, or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides based on carbides or carbonitrides based on carbides, but not containing other metal compounds based on tungsten carbide
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C32/00—Non-ferrous alloys containing at least 5% by weight but less than 50% by weight of oxides, carbides, borides, nitrides, silicides or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides, whether added as such or formed in situ
    • C22C32/0047—Non-ferrous alloys containing at least 5% by weight but less than 50% by weight of oxides, carbides, borides, nitrides, silicides or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides, whether added as such or formed in situ with carbides, nitrides, borides or silicides as the main non-metallic constituents
    • C22C32/0052—Non-ferrous alloys containing at least 5% by weight but less than 50% by weight of oxides, carbides, borides, nitrides, silicides or other metal compounds, e.g. oxynitrides, sulfides, whether added as such or formed in situ with carbides, nitrides, borides or silicides as the main non-metallic constituents only carbides
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C9/00—Alloys based on copper
    • C22C9/05—Alloys based on copper with manganese as the next major constituent
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C9/00—Alloys based on copper
    • C22C9/06—Alloys based on copper with nickel or cobalt as the next major constituent

Definitions

  • the disclosure relates generally to tungsten carbide particles, and more particularly to textured spheroidal tungsten carbides, composites formed thereof, and methods of applying the composites.
  • a metal matrix composite refers to a composite material which includes particles that are embedded within a metallic matrix.
  • a MMC generally includes a high-melting temperature metallic powder that is infiltrated with a single metal or more commonly an alloy having a lower melting temperature than the powder.
  • MMCs have various applications, including mining equipment.
  • the physical properties of MMCs can be engineered through component materials and manufacturing processes thereof.
  • an alloy in one aspect, includes: manganese (Mn) at 5.6-10.4 weight percent (wt. %); nickel (Ni) at 3.5-6.5 wt. %; tin (Sn) at 1.4-4 wt. %; and copper (Cu) exceeding 55 wt. % and up to a balance of the alloy, wherein the alloy has a solidus temperature lower than a melting temperature of Cu. In some embodiments, the alloy has a solidus temperature is lower than 1300 K.
  • the alloy forms a single phase solid solution having a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure from a solidus temperature down to at least 400 K below the solidus temperature. In some embodiments, greater than 90 wt. % of the alloy is a single phase solid solution with a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure at room temperature. In some embodiments, the alloy further includes up to 2 wt. % of impurities. In some embodiments, the elemental composition does not include one or more of Si, B and Zn.
  • FCC face-centered cubic
  • the alloy forms a matrix of a metal matrix composite (MMC) material, wherein the MMC material further includes tungsten carbide particles. In some embodiments, the alloy forms a matrix of a metal matrix composite (MMC) material, wherein the MMC material forms part of a drilling component. In some embodiments, the alloy forms a matrix of a metal matrix composite (MMC) material, wherein the MMC material has a toughness greater than 4,000 in*lbf/in 3
  • the techniques described herein relate to an alloy, wherein the alloy is part of a feedstock for forming a metal matrix composite (MMC) material, wherein the feedstock further includes tungsten carbide particles.
  • MMC metal matrix composite
  • Another aspect describes a metal matrix composite material including reinforcement particles embedded in a copper-based matrix, wherein the copper-based matrix includes greater than 55 wt. % copper (Cu) and greater than 1.4 wt. % tin (Sn).
  • the copper-based matrix includes: 1.4-2.6 wt. % tin (Sn); 5.6-10.4 wt. % manganese (Mn); and 3.5-6.5 wt. % nickel (Ni), wherein the copper-based matrix has a solidus temperature lower than Cu. In some embodiments, the solidus temperature of the copper-based matrix is lower than 1300 K.
  • the copper-based matrix forms a single phase solid solution having a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure from a solidus temperature down to at least 400K below the solidus temperature. In some embodiments, greater than 90 wt. % of the copper-based matrix is a single-phase solid solution having a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure at room temperature. In some embodiments, the copper-based matrix includes 2 wt. % or less of impurities.
  • FCC face-centered cubic
  • the copper-based matrix does not include one or more of Si, B and Zn. In some embodiments, the copper-based matrix has an electrical conductivity higher than 2.5 MS/m. In some embodiments, the copper-based matrix has a thermal conductivity higher than 10 W/mK.
  • the reinforcement particles include tungsten carbide particles. In some embodiments, the tungsten carbide particles include 50-70 vol. % of the metal matrix composite material. In some embodiments, the tungsten carbide particles have an average particle size of 1-200 ⁇ m.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of a prior art metal powder with angular particles.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an optical micrograph of a prior art metal matrix composite (MMC) prepared using angular particles.
  • MMC metal matrix composite
  • FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of earth-engaging tool with a drill bit.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates strength and reliability improvements of some MMC
  • FIG. 7 illustrates a scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a conventional MMC.
  • FIGS. 8 - 9 illustrate scanning electron micrographs of an MMCs according to embodiments.
  • FIG. 10 illustrates a binary image of FIG. 7 .
  • FIG. 11 illustrates a binary image of FIG. 8 .
  • FIG. 12 illustrates a binary image of FIG. 9 .
  • FIG. 13 illustrates an optical micrograph of a MMC comprising tungsten carbide particles embedded in a Cu-based matrix, according to embodiments.
  • FIG. 14 shows example samples prepared for testing MMCs having Cu-based matrix and tungsten carbide particles, according to embodiments.
  • FIG. 15 illustrates experimental results of strength testing of a MMC comprising tungsten carbide particles embedded in a Cu-based matrix, according to embodiments.
  • spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles and metal matrix composites (MMCs) formed from tungsten carbide particles can include a matrix comprising copper and/or copper alloys, along with tungsten carbide particles.
  • the tungsten carbide particles and MMCs formed therefrom can have substantially improved properties over conventional angular fused tungsten carbide particles as well as MMCs formed therefrom.
  • embodiments of the disclosure can be used to improve erosion resistance and impact resistance of resulting metal matrix composites.
  • a feedstock alloy for forming a copper-based matrix of a MMC with reinforcement particles.
  • the copper-based matrix, and the MMC integrating the copper-based matrix may both be reinforced with particles.
  • the particles may be spherical tungsten carbide particles.
  • the copper-based matrix as well as MMCs formed therefrom can have substantially improved properties over conventional matrices or MMCs formed therefrom.
  • the thermal conductivity of MMCs and components incorporating the same may be improved.
  • Spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles can be made from commercially available fused tungsten carbide powder or a mixture of tungsten, mono tungsten carbide and/or carbon.
  • spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles can have a combined carbon composition from 3.7 to 4.2 (or about 3.7 to 4.2) wt. % carbon (C), with the balance of the composition being tungsten (W).
  • the fused tungsten carbide particles can be produced by several methods. In some methods, a mixture of tungsten powder blended with mono tungsten carbide and carbon powder is melted.
  • the molten mixture of tungsten powder, mono tungsten carbide and carbon powder is then atomized by a rotation atomizing process or an ultra-high temperature melting & atomizing process.
  • a rotation atomizing process includes spinning or rotating the molten mixture such that centrifugal forces break the liquid and throw off molten metal as a spray of droplets. These droplets may then solidify as powder particles.
  • Atomization processes generally spheroidize molten tungsten carbide into spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles during the rapid solidification process due to surface tension of the molten metal.
  • spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles may be based on the modification of regular fused tungsten carbide powder.
  • Plasma spraying, electric induction or electric resistance furnace melting may be used during the spheroidization process to obtain fine spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles.
  • Sphericity can be defined by an aspect ratio of the spheroidal or substantially spherical particles.
  • the aspect ratio can be a ratio of a first length along a major axis to a second length along a minor axis of the particles, or a ratio of the longest axis length to the shortest axis length of the spheroidal or substantially spherical particles.
  • a perfect spherical particle would have an aspect ratio of exactly one.
  • angular particles have an aspect ratio of at least 1.30.
  • spherical or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles can have an aspect ratio of ⁇ about 1.20, ⁇ about 1.10, about ⁇ 1.05, or a value within any range of these values.
  • the aspect ratio can represent an average value of aspect ratios of a plurality of fused tungsten carbide particles.
  • each of the particles can have an aspect ratio within a range disclosed herein.
  • the specific density of the spherical or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide powder can be around 16.5 g/cm 3 with a micro-hardness as defined by a Vickers pyramid number (HV) ranging from 2,700-3,300 HV (or about 2,700—about 3,300 HV) or any value there between.
  • HV Vickers pyramid number
  • the inventors have found that these high microhardness values might be attributed to, among other things, the particle shape and internal microstructure resulting from the spheroidization processes as described herein.
  • conventional mostly angular fused tungsten carbide particles exhibit a substantially inferior hardness of about 1,500-2,200 HV.
  • MMCs containing spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles are more wear resistant than those that contain a similar size and fraction of angular fused tungsten carbide particles.
  • FIG. 1 shows a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of an angular metallic powder.
  • FIG. 2 illustrates an optical micrograph of a MMC prepared using metallographic techniques from an angular conventional fused tungsten carbide powder.
  • the MMC includes a soft phase 202 , a particulate phase 204 formed from a powder similar to that shown in FIG. 1 , and a particulate-to-soft phase interface 206 .
  • the soft phase 202 can be formed by a matrix material that is first melted and subsequently cooled.
  • the conventional MMC includes two principal phases.
  • the soft phase 202 is formed through the liquid metal infiltration of the particulate phase 204 .
  • the particulate phase 204 can include metal carbides, borides or oxides.
  • the particulate phase 204 can include tungsten carbides including: mono tungsten carbide, fused tungsten carbide or cemented tungsten carbide. Typically, the tungsten carbide particles are angular, as shown in FIG. 1 .
  • an interface 206 Between the soft phase 202 and the particulate phase 204 there is an interface 206 .
  • the inventors have discovered that all three phases 202 , 204 , and 206 can contribute to the strength and wear properties of the MMC.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates an optical micrograph of a metal matrix composite (MMC) 300 prepared using spheroidal or substantially spherical carbide particles.
  • MMC metal matrix composite
  • the MMC 300 includes spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles 302 and a soft phase 304 , which are combined to form the metal matrix composite (MMC) 300 .
  • the MMC 300 additionally includes a spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide-to-soft phase interface 306 .
  • the interface 306 includes metallic or metallurgical bonds formed between the tungsten carbide particles 302 and the soft phase 304 .
  • the metallurgical bonds disclosed herein may comprise diffused atoms and/or atomic interactions, and may include chemical bonds formed between atoms of the particles 302 and the atoms of the soft phase 304 .
  • a metallurgical bond is more than a mere mechanical bond. Under such conditions, the component parts may be wetted to and by the metallic binding material. Wetting is the ability of a liquid to maintain contact with a solid surface resulting from intermolecular interactions when the liquid and the solid surface are brought together.
  • a powder mixture including the spheroidal or substantially spherical tungsten carbide particles is formed.
  • the MMC formed from the spheroidal or substantially spherical may be called spherical MMCs, whereas the conventional MMCs formed from angular powders may be called angular MMCs.
  • a liquid metal infiltration route can be used to form MMC.
  • Liquid metal infiltration is a process in which a compacted powder material is immersed inside a liquid metal (e.g., a binding material) or contacts the liquid metal (e.g., the binding material).
  • the liquid metal fills the pores in the compacted powder material, a process that is driven by surface energy of the compacted powder material.
  • a metallic binding material may, be any suitable brazing metal, including: copper, chromium, tin, silver, cobalt nickel, cadmium, manganese, zinc and/or cobalt or an alloy thereof.
  • the metallic binding material can be liquid cast through tungsten carbide powder and solidified to form a MMC.
  • a graphite mold assembly 412 , 414 is produced that reflects a negative of the desired shape of a drill bit 500 .
  • a powder 408 comprising the spheroidal or substantially spherical particles is poured and compacted in the mold assembly 412 , 414 .
  • a binder 406 e.g., copper or copper alloy, and steel parts 404 may be added.
  • Configured mold assembly 412 , 414 is heated to melt at least the binder 406 .
  • Within the mold 412 , 414 is a sand component 402 which defines regions within the resulting casting that is free from MMC.
  • the binder 406 infiltrates the powder 408 and creates bonds to the steel parts 404 .
  • the solidified structure contains a plurality of composites advantageously located for strength and wear considerations.
  • the binder may be copper. In some embodiments, the binder may be a copper-based alloy. In some embodiments, a quaternary material system may be used as the binder 406 . In some embodiments, the binding material can be a quaternary system comprising copper (47-58 wt. % or about 47—about 58), manganese (23-25 wt. % or about 23—about 25 wt. %), nickel (14-16 wt. % or about 14—about 16 wt. %) and zinc (7-9 wt. % or about 7—about 9 wt. %).
  • tungsten carbide particles and MMCs formed therefrom can be particularly useful for applying in mining equipment, such as drills.
  • mining equipment such as drills.
  • embodiments are not so limited, and the tungsten carbide particles and MMCs formed therefrom can be used in a variety of other applications in which abrasion resistant materials are employed.
  • Earth-engaging drill bits are used extensively in industries including the mining, oil and gas industries for exploration and retrieval of minerals and hydrocarbon resources.
  • Examples of earth-engaging drill bits include polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) bits.
  • a drill bit wears when it rubs against a formation of metal or rocks in the ground or against a metal casing tube. This wear may lead to the loss of function and failure of the drill bit.
  • a cooling and lubricating drilling fluid is circulated through the drill bit using high hydraulic energies.
  • the drilling fluid may contain abrasive particles, for example sand, which when impelled by the high hydraulic energies can exacerbate wear at the face of the drill bit and elsewhere.
  • Drill bits may have a body comprising at least one of hardened and tempered steel, and a metal matrix composite (MMC).
  • a steel drill bit body may have increased ductility and may be more easily manufactured.
  • a steel drill bit body may be manufactured using casting and wrought manufacturing techniques, examples of which include but are not limited to forging or rolled bar techniques. The steel properties after heat treatment are consistent and repeatable. Fracture of steel-bodied drill bits is infrequent; however, a worn steel drill bit body may be difficult for an operator to repair.
  • a MMC drill bit body may wear more slowly than a steel drill bit body.
  • Conventional MMC drill bit bodies however, more frequently fracture during casting and/or processing and/or use from thermal and mechanical shock. Fracturing may cause an drill bit to be removed from service early due to cosmetic or structural defects within the bit.
  • conventional MMC drill bit bodies may fail catastrophically with the loss of part of the cutting structure, which may result in sub-optimal drilling performance and early retrieval of the drill bit.
  • Wing or blade of a drill bit that fractures.
  • Wing or blade failures are economically damaging for drill bit manufacturers.
  • the retrieval of a worn or failed drill bit from a drilled hole, for example a well or borehole, is undesirable.
  • the non-productive time required to retrieve and introduce into the drilled hole a replacement drill bit may cost millions of dollars.
  • Drill bits and other earth-engaging tools with increased wear resistance and lower rates of failure may save considerable time and money. Therefore, developing an ultra-high-strength MMC for drill bits is desirable to reduce or prevent fracture during drilling.
  • the strength of a sample of an MMC may be determined using a transverse rupture strength (TRS) test.
  • TRS transverse rupture strength
  • a load is centrally applied to the cubic or cylindrically shaped MMC sample that is supported between two points.
  • the rupture strength is the maximum weight that the MMC can support.
  • a plurality of samples may be tested to derive a mean strength and a standard deviation which may be used to describe the MMC.
  • the reliability analysis of the TRS of an MMC can provide additional information such as the failure possibilities under different stresses.
  • MMC drill bits can generally perform better in erosion than steel bits, they still may encounter rapid deceleration of particles in hydraulic fluids, resulting in the erosive removal of material.
  • high-velocity drilling-mud exits nozzles to cool the bit and evacuate detritus.
  • Drilling mud contains materials such as bentonite, clay and surfactants, which also contain hard and angular minerals from the rock material. The contact between the PDC bits and drilling mud may erode portions of the drill bits.
  • the MMC disclosed herein has high erosion resistance accompanied with ultrahigh strength to improve the reliability and performance of the drill bits during drilling.
  • FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of earth-engaging tool in the form of a drill bit 500 which comprises a bit body 502 comprising an MMC FIG. 300 .
  • the bit body 502 may be formed from embodiments of the MMC 300 .
  • a majority of the bit body 502 is formed from embodiments of the MMC 300 .
  • the tool can include a nozzle port 516 , e.g., for hydraulic fluid, a face 510 that supports cutting element 508 , such as polycrystalline diamond compact (PDC) cutters, and junk slots 506 for carrying cuttings away in a fluid from a face of the drill bit 500 .
  • PDC polycrystalline diamond compact
  • the bit body 502 can have protrusions in the form of radially projecting and longitudinally extending wings or blades 504 , which are separated by channels at the face 510 of the drill bit 500 and junk slots 506 at the sides of the drill bit 500 .
  • a plurality of cemented tungsten carbide or PDC cutting elements 508 can be brazed within pockets on the leading faces of the blades 504 extending over the face 510 of the bit body 502 .
  • the PDC cutting elements 508 may be supported from behind by buttresses 512 , for example, which may be integrally formed with the bit body 502 .
  • the drill bit 500 may further include a shank 514 in the form of an American Petroleum Institute (API) threaded connection portion for attaching the drill bit 500 to a drill string (not shown). Furthermore, a longitudinal bore (not shown) can extend longitudinally through at least a portion of the bit body 502 , and internal fluid passageways (not shown) may provide fluid communication between the longitudinal bore and nozzles 516 provided at the face 510 of the bit body 512 and opening onto the channels leading to junk slots 506 for removing the drilling fluid and formation cuttings from the drill face.
  • API American Petroleum Institute
  • the drill bit 500 is positioned at the bottom of a hole and rotated while weight-on-bit is applied.
  • a drilling fluid for example a drilling mud delivered by the drill string to which the drill bit 500 is attached—is pumped through the bore, the internal fluid passageways, and the nozzles 516 to the face 510 of the bit body 502 and PDC cutting elements 508 .
  • the PDC cutting elements 508 scrape across, and shear away, the underlying earth formation.
  • the formation cuttings mix with, and are suspended within, the drilling fluid and pass through the junk slots 506 and up through an annular space between the wall of the hole (in the form of a well or borehole, for example), and the outer surface of the drill string to the surface of the earth formation.
  • the strength of a sample of a MMC may be determined using a TRS test, but using averaging and using other statistical methods to analyze the TRS results may also be important. If the values are not thoroughly analyzed, the TRS data may not:
  • the strength distribution in a population of samples of the MMC used in earth-engaging and other tools may be determined using Weibull statistics, which is a probabilistic approach that enables a calculation of the likelihood of failure to be established at a given applied stress.
  • Embodiments of the disclosed MMCs may be used with an earth-engaging tool, e.g., a drill bit 500 , for example, which generally follow a Weibull distribution.
  • F which is the probability of failure for a sample
  • ⁇ which is the applied stress
  • ⁇ u which is the lower limit stress needed to cause failure, which is often assumed to be zero
  • ⁇ 0 which is the characteristic strength
  • m which is the Weibull modulus, a measure of the variability of the strength of the material
  • V which is the volume of specimen.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a Weibull plot of empirical strength data for a plurality of samples of the same type of angular MMC 602 similar to those shown in FIG. 2 , containing predominately angular particles and an MMC containing predominately spheroidal or substantially spherical particles 604 similar to those shown in FIG. 3 .
  • the MMCs illustrated in FIG. 6 are composed of textured spheroidal or substantially spherical tungsten carbide and a Cu53 copper binder, a known copper alloy.
  • the y-axis values on the left most y-axis are indicative of a function of the probability of failure, the y-axis values on the right most y-axis are indicative of a percentage probability of failure.
  • the x-axis values are indicative of a function of the applied stress at the time of failure during a TRS test.
  • the empirical strength data for the samples of angular MMC 602 and the sample of spherical MMC 604 follow a Weibull distribution. The slope of each line defines the respective Weibull moduli.
  • the angular MMC 602 has a Weibull modulus of 13.76 and the spherical MMC 604 has a Weibull modulus of 27.94.
  • the Weibull modulus is one measure of material strength variability. For example, for a Weibull modulus of 4, there will be a 30% variation (one standard variation) in strength.
  • the spherical MMC 604 has a Weibull modulus of ⁇ 15 (or about 15), ⁇ 20 (or about 20), ⁇ 25 (or about 25) or greater, or a value in range defined by any of these values.
  • a Weibull plot can be used to design drill bit body blade heights and widths to a predetermined failure rate, and particularly help determine how thin and tall the drill bit body blades can be for the predetermined failure rate.
  • a taller and thinner blade may remove a formation faster than a shorter wider blade. However, a taller and thinner blade may have an unacceptable probability of failure.
  • the reliability of a drill bit comprising angular MMC 604 can be compared the reliability of another identically configured drill bit comprising spherical MMC 602 .
  • Linear extrapolation to a 1 in 10,000 probability of failure equates to applied stress of about 60 ksi (kilopound per square inch) for an angular MMC 602 and 188 ksi for aspherical MMC 604 .
  • the linear extrapolation to a 1 in 10,000 probability of failure for the spherical MMC 604 equates to 80 (or about 80) ksi or greater, 100 (or about 100) ksi or greater, 120 (or about 120) ksi or greater, 140 (or about 140) ksi or greater, 160 (or about 160) ksi or greater, 180 (or about 180) ksi or greater, or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the novel spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide has a textured surface.
  • this texture can increase the available surface area at the interface 306 between the soft phase 304 and the spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles 302 , as shown in FIG. 3 .
  • the strength of an MMC system can be associated with one or more of three different components: the strength of the copper binder, the strength of the tungsten carbide particles, and/or the binding strength between the copper binder and the incorporated tungsten carbide particles.
  • the strength of the copper binder the strength of the tungsten carbide particles
  • the binding strength between the copper binder and the incorporated tungsten carbide particles can occur when the MMC undergoes high stress.
  • the alloy has more area to bond to the carbide particles, thus increasing the interfacial strength.
  • FIG. 7 illustrates the surface morphology of a tungsten particle in a conventional MMC.
  • the microstructure has soccer-ball-like topographical features of conventional fused tungsten carbide particles.
  • the surface is relatively smooth, resulting in a low surface area and relatively low interfacial strength when incorporated within a MMC.
  • FIG. 8 illustrates the surface morphology of a spheroidal or substantially spherical tungsten particle in an MMC.
  • the microstructure includes needle-like topographical features (e.g., texturing) of spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide.
  • the surface is mostly textured with a fine-grained structure, resulting in a high surface area and better interfacial strength when incorporated within a MMC.
  • FIG. 9 illustrates the surface morphology of a spheroidal or substantially spherical tungsten particle in an MMC.
  • the microstructure includes dense needle-like like topographical features of spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide.
  • the surface is mostly textured with a finer grained structure resulting in an even higher surface area and exceptional interfacial strength when incorporated within a MMC.
  • an area fraction of grain boundaries refers to the area in an image, e.g., an optical or SEM image, of a surface of a sample, e.g., the surface of a tungsten carbide particle, that can be attributed to grain boundaries.
  • the area fraction of grain boundaries can be quantified using images, e.g., high contrast or binary images such as those shown in FIGS. 10 - 12 .
  • the inventors have discovered that the combination of the spheroidal shape of the tungsten carbide particles, and the needle-like surface morphology of the formed MMC, may give rise to a relatively high surface area of the tungsten carbide particles, which in turn gives rise to the relatively high grain boundary area fraction.
  • the high gran boundary area fraction can be proportional to the amount of high strength interfaces formed between the tungsten carbide particles and the metal matrix. High amounts of high strength interfaces can lead to improved mechanical and tribological properties of MMCs, including high TRS values and increased erosion resistance.
  • the needle-like topography comprises needle-like structures that are elongated along surfaces of the tungsten carbide particles.
  • the needle-like structures have at least a portion length portion having a length exceeding, e.g., 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ⁇ m, or a value in a range defined by any of these values, while having a width that is less than 2, 1, 0.5, 0.2, 0.1 ⁇ m, or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the needle-like structures may have a ratio of the longest length to the smallest width of the needle like structures that exceeds 2, 5, 10, 20 or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • FIG. 10 illustrates a binary image of FIG. 7 .
  • FIG. 11 shows a binary image of FIG. 8 , which includes an analyzed area fraction of 14.2% and variation of 9.4% when divided into nine parts.
  • FIG. 12 shows a binary image of FIG. 9 , which includes an analyzed area fraction of 20.1% and variation of 3.8% when divided into nine parts.
  • the size of the spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten particle may between 1 to 200 ⁇ m.
  • the variation of the size of the spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten particle can result in the change in TRS of the final infiltrated MMC.
  • Powder particle size distribution is measured and determined by MicroTrac per ASTM B822, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
  • the powder particle size distribution is defined by describing values, namely:
  • the MMC formed from spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles that have an average particle size (D50) between 11 ⁇ m and 20 ⁇ m has a TRS greater than or equal to 280 ksi (or about 280 ksi), greater than or equal to 365 ksi (or about 365 ksi), greater than or equal to 450 ksi (or about 450 ksi), or value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the MMC formed from spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles that have an average particle size (D50) between 21 ⁇ m and 40 ⁇ m has a TRS greater than or equal to 230 ksi (or about 230 ksi), greater than or equal to 260 ksi (or about ksi), greater than or equal to 290 ksi (or about 290 ksi), or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the MMC formed from spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles that have an average particle size (D50) between 41 ⁇ m and 60 ⁇ m has a TRS greater than or equal to 180 ksi, greater than or equal to 200 ksi, greater than or equal to 220 ksi, or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the MMC formed from spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles that have an average particle size (D50) between 61 ⁇ m and 80 ⁇ m has a TRS greater than or equal to 160 ksi (or about 160 ksi), greater than or equal to 170 ksi (or about 170 ksi), greater than or equal to 180 ksi (or 180 ksi), or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the MMC formed from spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles that have an average particle size (D50) between 81 ⁇ m and 100 ⁇ m has a TRS greater than or equal to 140 ksi (or about 140 ksi), greater than or equal to 150 ksi (or about 150 ksi), greater than or equal to 160 ksi (or about 160 ksi), or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the MMC formed from spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles that have an average particle size (D50) between 101 ⁇ m and 200 ⁇ m has a TRS greater than or equal to 100 ksi (or about 100 ksi), greater than or equal to 120 ksi (or about 120 ksi), greater than or equal to 140 ksi (or about 140 ksi), or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • Laboratory testing enabled the abrasion and erosion resistance of angular and spherical MMCs to be measured and compared to one another.
  • An erosion test simulating real drilling condition was carried out by using a modified high-pressure abrasive waterjet cutting machine.
  • a special sample holder adjustable between 0° and 90° relative to the waterjet was designed to allow the adjustment of the impacting angle between the sample surface and slurry jet produced by the waterjet cutting machine.
  • the distance between the nozzle and the sample was selected as 1,000 ⁇ mm in order to avoid cutting the sample and to enlarge the contact area between the jet and sample.
  • Garnet was used as the erodent.
  • the pressure of the waterjet was 50 ksi and the test duration was 10 ⁇ min.
  • a balance with an accuracy of 1 ⁇ mg was used to measure the weight of the coupon before and after the test.
  • An MMC sample produced from spherical fused tungsten carbide particles and made by liquid infiltration was tested for erosion at a 30° impact angle with volume loss of 0.022 cm 3 .
  • a reference MMC made from angular fused tungsten carbide particles was tested under the same conditions and experienced a volume loss of 0.17 cm 3 .
  • the spherical MMC has an erosive volume loss of 0.10 (or about 0.10) cm 3 or less, 0.08 (or about 0.08) cm 3 or less, 0.06 (or about 0.06) cm 3 or less, 0.04 (or about 0.04) cm 3 or less, or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • a standard ASTM 611 high stress abrasion test was performed on an MMC produced from spherical fused tungsten carbide particles and a reference MMC made from angular fused tungsten carbide particles
  • An MMC produced from spherical fused tungsten carbide particles under the testing conditions had volume loss of 0.51 cm 3 while a reference MMC made from angular fused tungsten carbide particles had a volume loss of 1.28 cm 3 under the same testing conditions.
  • the spherical MMC has an ASTM 611 volume loss of 1.00 (or about 1.00) cm 3 or lower, 0.80 (or about 0.80) cm 3 or lower, 0.60 (or about 0.60) cm 3 or lower, or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • metal matrix composite materials include reinforcement particles embedded in a matrix.
  • the physical properties of the reinforcement particles and the matrix can synergistically complement each other to form a metal matrix composite material that has a unique set of properties that are difficult to achieve with a single material.
  • an MMC that includes tungsten carbide particles embedded in a Cu-based matrix can provide a combination of high strength and high hardness, which can be difficult to achieve simultaneously in a single material.
  • MMCs multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-based multi-material-s.
  • the harsh conditions may include high temperature, which can result from friction caused by operation of the drill bits.
  • the performance levels of some MMCs which may be sufficient at moderate temperatures, may degrade to unacceptable performance levels at elevated temperatures.
  • MMCs that combine the various advantageous mechanical properties of MMCs based on tungsten carbide particles embedded in a Cu-based matrix, while also being designed to maintain the advantageous properties under heat-generating conditions by efficiently dissipating heat.
  • MMC made from spheroidal or substantially spherical fused tungsten carbide particles increase the thermal shock resistance of components fabricated therefrom.
  • an alloy e.g., a feedstock alloy, configured to form a matrix of an MMC having high thermal conductivity, for various applications including drilling is produced.
  • the MMCs formed using the feedstock alloy can maintain various advantageous performance criteria as described above, in in addition to significantly improving the thermal shock resistance of the MMCs.
  • the reduction of thermal shock can in turn reduce fracture failures. For drilling applications, reduction of the tendency of the drill bit body to fracture during operation can significantly improve productivity and reduce cost associated with replacement or repair thereof.
  • the feedstock alloy for forming the matrix should be compatible with and integrate well with the reinforcement particles. This is in part because, as described above, one of the processes for fabricating MMCs involves infiltration of the network of pores formed by the reinforcement particles. To serve as an effective infiltrant, the alloy for forming the matrix can have a melting temperature below that of the reinforcement particles. The alloy, when melted, should have a high fluidity to provide the surface tension and capillary force for facilitating the infiltration process. In a liquid state, the alloy should form a low contact angle with the surfaces of the reinforcement particles. Furthermore, any chemical reaction between the alloy and the reinforcement particles should be kept to a relatively low level, as such reactions can impede the infiltration process by altering the composition of the matrix relative to the feedstock alloy, as well as detrimentally affecting the performance of the resulting MMC.
  • a feedstock alloy for forming a matrix of an MMC includes an elemental composition including copper (Cu) as a majority element.
  • Some reinforcement particles such as some tungsten carbide particles, have relatively low thermal conductivity, and the thermal conductivity of the MMC may be limited by that of a matrix having a relatively high thermal conductivity.
  • the thermal conductivity of the MMC can drop proportionally due to a corresponding reduction in the volume fraction of the matrix.
  • the reduction in thermal conductivity of the MMC with increasing reinforcement particle content can be offset by incorporating a relatively high copper content.
  • some tungsten carbide particles can have a higher thermal conductivity than the MMC. Regardless, unlike some relatively isolated reinforcement particles, because the matrix can form an interconnected network through which heat can transfer, and/or because the matrix constitutes a substantial thermal mass faction of the resulting MMC, higher thermal conductivity of the matrix is nevertheless desirable.
  • a feedstock alloy for forming a matrix of an MMC includes an elemental composition including a copper (Cu) concentration exceeding 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85 weight percent (wt. %), or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • Cu copper
  • the high Cu content can provide improved thermal conductivity, among other advantages.
  • the elemental copper may offer one of the highest thermal conductivities, it may not offer one or more other desirable characteristics associated with the fabrication of the MMC or the resulting mechanical properties thereof.
  • the inventors have discovered a combination of alloying elements for alloying with Cu to form a feedstock alloy for forming the matrix.
  • the elemental composition of the feedstock alloy for forming the matrix includes: tin (Sn) at a concentration exceeding 1.4 wt.
  • the combined concentration of Sn, Ni and Mn is less than 20 wt. %, 30 wt. %, 40 wt. %, 45 wt. % or a value in a range defined by any of these values, according to embodiments.
  • an elemental composition of a feedstock alloy for forming a matrix of an MMC includes Sn at a concentration exceeding 1.4, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, 2.8, 3.0, 3.2, 3.4, 3.6, 3.8, 4.0 wt. %, or a concentration within a range defined by any of these values.
  • the elemental composition may include Sn at 1.4-4 wt. %, 1.7-2.3 wt. %, or about 2.0 wt. %.
  • the elemental composition of the feedstock alloy additionally includes Mn at a concentration exceeding 5.6, 6.4, 6.8, 7.2, 7, 6, 8.0, 8.4, 8.8, 9.2, 9.6, 10.4 wt. %, or a concentration within a range defined by any of these values.
  • the elemental composition includes Mn at 5.6-10.4 wt. %, 6.8-9.2 wt. %, or about 8.0 wt. %.
  • the composition of the feedstock alloy additionally includes Ni at a concentration exceeding 3.5, 4.0, 4.3, 4.5, 4.7, 5.0, 5.3, 5.5, 5.8, 6.0, 6.5 wt. %, or a concentration in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the elemental composition includes Ni at 3.5-6.5 wt. %, 4.3-5.8 wt. %, or about 5.0 wt. %.
  • the elemental composition of the feedstock alloy may include additional elements, which may include incidental impurities, at a combined concentration less than 10 wt. %, 5 wt. %, 2 wt. %, 1 wt. % or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • additional elements which may include incidental impurities, at a combined concentration less than 10 wt. %, 5 wt. %, 2 wt. %, 1 wt. % or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • Cu may be present as a balance of the elemental composition, in addition to the additional or impurity elements.
  • the relatively high Cu concentration of the feedstock can provide high thermal and/or electrical conductivity. It will be appreciated that the high thermal conductivity can be indirectly measured by measuring the electrical conductivity of the allow.
  • the feedstock has an electrical conductivity greater than 2.0 ⁇ mega Siemens (MS)/meter (m), 2.5 MS/m, 3.0 MS/m, 3.5 MS/m, or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the feedstock can have thermal conductivity that can have a value related to the electrical conductivity through, e.g., Wiedemann-Franz's law. Wiedemann-Franz's law states that the ratio of the electronic contribution of the thermal conductivity to the electrical conductivity is proportional to the temperature.
  • the feedstock can have thermal conductivity greater than 10 W/mK, 11 W/mK, 12 W/mK, 13 W/mK, 14 W/mK, 15 W/mK, 16 W/mK or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the combination of Cu, Sn, Mn and Ni forms a feedstock alloy that can provide various advantages over relatively pure elemental Cu as a source of the matrix of an MMC.
  • the advantages may include in one or more of: lower melting temperature, lower contact angle with tungsten carbide and/or lower reactivity with tungsten carbide.
  • the combination of elements can additionally provide advantages over relatively pure elemental Cu as source of the matrix of an MMC including one or more of: higher strength, higher abrasion resistance and/or higher hardness.
  • the combination of the elements in the feedstock alloy can provide further advantages over elemental Cu when the elemental composition of the feedstock does not include one or more of Si, B and/or Zn, or when present, Si, B and/or Zn is present at a combined concentration less than 10 wt. %, 5 wt. %, 2 wt. %, 1 wt. % or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the feedstock alloy for forming a matrix of an MMC is a pre-formed alloy that is solidified from a liquid having the alloy composition, e.g., by melting the constituent elements at a temperature sufficient to melt each of the constituent elements.
  • Having the feedstock in the form of a preformed alloy, as opposed to a mixture of elemental powder, can provide various advantages can lower the melting temperature of the feedstock alloy, such that the MMC can be effectively formed at lower temperatures.
  • the lower feedstock melting temperature can make different chemical compositions of feedstocks compatible with existing methods for manufacturing MMCs, including those described above.
  • the feedstock in the form of an alloy has a composition such that the alloy has a solidus temperature lower than a melting temperature of substantially pure Cu.
  • the solidus temperature of the alloy is lower than 1300 K, 1275K, 1250K, 1225K, 1200K, or a solidus temperature in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the feedstock alloy can be present as, or liquefied and solidified into, a single phase solid solution.
  • An alloy or matrix in the form of a single phase solid solution can provide advantages in various mechanical and thermal properties over a multi-phase alloy.
  • thermal conductivity can be enhanced due to, e.g., the suppression of phonon scattering that can occur at phase boundaries.
  • the absence of phase boundaries can also enhance the strength of the alloy by reducing boundary-originating defects such as dislocations.
  • the inventors have found that one measure of the availability of an alloy as a single phase solid solution is a temperature range below the solidus temperature within which the alloy is present, or predicted to be present under thermodynamic equilibrium conditions, as a single phase solid solution. Such temperature range may be referred to as a single phase temperature range.
  • the elemental composition of the alloy comprising Cu, Sn, Mn and Ni as disclosed herein has a single phase temperature range greater than 400K such that, from the solidus temperature down to at least 400K below the solidus temperature, the alloy forms a single phase solid solution having a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure.
  • the single phase temperature range of the feedstock alloy below the solidus temperature within which the alloy is present may exceed 375K, 400K, 425K, 450K, 475K or a value in a range defined by any of these temperatures.
  • the FCC crystal structure may correspond to a base crystal structure of Cu in which Sn, Mn and Ni can be present as substitutional and/or interstitial elements.
  • the feedstock alloy can be formed into a matrix that is substantially present as a single phase alloy at room temperature.
  • at room temperature greater than 80 wt. %, 85 wt. %, 90 wt. %, 95 wt. % or a value in range defined by any of these values, of the alloy and the resulting matrix is present a single phase solid solution having a face-centered cubic (FCC) crystal structure.
  • FCC face-centered cubic
  • the feedstock alloy as described herein can be used to form a metal matrix composite (MMC) material comprising reinforcement particles embedded in a copper-based matrix.
  • MMC metal matrix composite
  • a formed copper-based matrix can have any and/or all of the physical and chemical characteristics of the feedstock alloy used to form the matrix as described, including the elemental composition.
  • the chemical composition of feedstock alloy and a matrix of a MMC material formed therefrom can be substantially the same.
  • the matrix of an MMC has an elemental composition including copper (Cu) exceeding 55 weight percent (wt. %) and tin (Sn) exceeding 1.4 wt. %.
  • the elemental composition of the matrix includes Sn at a concentration exceeding 1.4, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.6, 2.8, 3.0, 3.2, 3.4, 3.6, 3.8, 4.0 wt. %, or having a concentration within a range defined by any of these values; Mn at a concentration exceeding 5.6, 6.4, 6.8, 7.2, 7, 6, 8.0, 8.4, 8.8, 9.2, 9.6, 10.4 wt.
  • Ni at a concentration exceeding 3.5, 4.0, 4.3, 4.5, 4.7, 5.0, 5.3, 5.5, 5.8, 6.0, 6.5 wt. %, or a concentration in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the matrix of the MMC can have any and/or all of the physical and chemical characteristics of the feedstock alloy, including the solidus temperature, the single phase temperature range, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity as described above, overlapping details of which are omitted here for brevity.
  • the reinforcement particles can include tungsten carbide particles.
  • the tungsten carbide particles can have any and/or all of the characteristics of the spheroidal tungsten carbide particles described above, overlapping details of which are omitted herein for brevity.
  • the tungsten carbide particles can have a spheroidal shape having ratio of a first length along a major axis to second length along a minor axis that is 1.20 or lower.
  • the tungsten carbide particles have a surface that is textured to have a grain boundary area fraction greater than 5.0%.
  • the tungsten carbide particles can have a D50 between 1 ⁇ m and 10 ⁇ m; between 11 ⁇ m and 20 ⁇ m; between 21 ⁇ m and 40 ⁇ m; between 41 ⁇ m and 60 ⁇ m; between 61 ⁇ m and 80 ⁇ m; between 81 ⁇ m and 100 ⁇ m; between 101 ⁇ m and 200 ⁇ m; or a value in a range defined by any of these values, where the dimension D refers to the longest lateral dimension of the reinforcement tungsten carbide particles, and D50 refers to a median value of the longest lateral dimensions of the tungsten carbide particles.
  • the reinforcement particles of MMC materials are not so limited, and in some other embodiments, the tungsten carbide particles can have a spheroidal shape having a ratio of a first length along a major axis to second length along a minor axis that is 1.20 or greater, and/or a surface that is textured to have a grain boundary area fraction lower than 5.0%.
  • the tungsten carbide particles do not have a spheroidal shape and/or a textured surface.
  • FIG. 13 illustrates an optical micrograph of a MMC comprising tungsten carbide particles 1301 embedded in a Cu-based matrix 1302 , according to embodiments. Unlike the spheroidal tungsten carbide particles of the MMC described above with respect to FIG. 3 , and similar to the tungsten carbide particles of the MMC described above with respect to FIG. 2 , the tungsten carbide particles 1301 of the MMC illustrated in FIG. 13 are angular particles having irregular shapes.
  • the reinforcement particles e.g., tungsten carbide particles
  • the MMC including the Cu-based matrix at greater than 40 vol. %, 50 vol. %, 60 vol. %, 70 vol. %, 80 vol. %, or a value in a range defined by any of these values, for example 50-70 vol. %.
  • a method of forming a metal-matrix composite (MMC) material comprises providing reinforcement particles 408 , e.g., tungsten carbide particles, and a feedstock alloy 410 for forming a copper-based matrix in a mold assembly 412 , 414 , wherein the feedstock alloy 410 has an elemental composition including copper (Cu) exceeding 55 weight percent (wt. %) and tin (Sn) exceeding 1.4 wt. %.
  • reinforcement particles 408 e.g., tungsten carbide particles
  • a feedstock alloy 410 for forming a copper-based matrix in a mold assembly 412 , 414 , wherein the feedstock alloy 410 has an elemental composition including copper (Cu) exceeding 55 weight percent (wt. %) and tin (Sn) exceeding 1.4 wt. %.
  • the reinforcement particles 408 are disposed below the feedstock alloy 410 such that gravity pulls liquefied alloy 410 into a porous network formed by the reinforcement particles 408 . Subsequently, the method further comprises melting the alloy 410, infiltrating a network of pores formed by the reinforcement particles 408 with the liquefied alloy 410, and wetting the surfaces of the reinforcement particles 408 . Subsequently, the liquefied alloy 410 is solidified within the network to form the MMC material comprising the reinforcement particles 408 embedded in in the copper-based matrix.
  • the feedstock can be liquefied at temperatures substantially lower than the melting temperatures of at some of the elemental metals including Cu, Mn and Ni.
  • melting comprises heating the mold to a temperature lower than melting temperatures of one or more of Cu, Mn and Ni, or lower than 1083° C. (1356 K), 1244° C. (1517 K), 1453° C. (1726 K).
  • melting comprises heating the mold to a temperature of 1000-1200° C.
  • fabricated MMCs can form at least a portion of a drilling component, such as a drill bit as described above, the details of which are omitted herein for brevity.
  • the MMCs according to embodiments when fabricated with tungsten carbide particles and Cu-based alloys as described above, can have TRS values greater than 175 ksi, 200 ksi, 220 ksi, 250 ksi, or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • the Cu-based alloys disclosed herein provide additional toughness when used as the binder component in MMCs.
  • the Cu-based alloys can have toughness levels of greater than 3,000 in*lbf/in 3 , 4,000 in*lbf/in 3 , 5,000 in*lbf/in 3 , or a value in a range defined by any of these values.
  • FIG. 14 shows example samples that have been prepared for testing MMCs having Cu-based matrix and tungsten carbide particles as described herein.
  • cylindrical MMC samples having 0.5 ⁇ mm diameter and 100 ⁇ mm length were prepared using a graphite mold with appropriate dimensions, by first filling the mold with tungsten carbide particles and placing pieces of the Cu-based feedstock alloy over the tungsten carbide particles. The mold was then placed in a furnace at a temperature of 1180° C. for a period of 1 hour to melt the Cu-based alloy and infiltrate the tungsten carbide particles with the liquefied Cu-based alloy, and subsequently solidifying the alloy to form the final MMC cylindrical samples as shown.
  • the cylindrical samples were then tested using a standard 3 point bend test to measure the transverse rupture strength.
  • the illustrated samples were fabricated using spherical tungsten carbide particles with a particle size distribution (PSD) defined by upper and lower size limit of 32-75 ⁇ microns (corresponding to 200 ⁇ mesh and 450 ⁇ mesh and a D50 of 70 ⁇ microns).
  • PSD particle size distribution
  • the prepared MMC cylindrical samples as shown in FIG. 14 were demonstrated to have a TRS of 175-250 ksi.
  • the MMC sample using a Cu53 alloy had a thermal conductivity of 13.96 W/mK and the drill bit sample using the disclosed alloy had a thermal conductivity of 16.77 W/mK.
  • the MMC sample using the disclosed copper alloy had an average TRS strength of 240 ksi, above that of the Cu53 alloy, 224 ksi.
  • the comparative experimental results are illustrated in Table 1.
  • the elastic modulus of the disclosed copper alloy, 320 GPa was lower than for the Cu53 alloy, 340 GPa.
  • FIG. 15 shows TRS testing results of MMCs having Cu-based matrix and tungsten carbide particles as described herein.
  • a cylindrical MMC sample with a copper-based matrix comprising 2.89% tin (Sn), 7.56% manganese (Mn), 4.88% nickel (Ni), and 84.67 wt. % of Cu (X17C MMC sample), as well as a reference MMC sample made from a Cu53 alloy were manufactured by a similar process as described above in FIG. 14 .
  • TRS testing was performed on both the Cu53 MMC sample as well as the X17C MMC sample.
  • the UHS+X17C sample exhibited an increase in both strength and toughness relative to the Cu53 sample.
  • the above recited ranges can be specific ranges, and not within a particular % of the value. For example, within less than or equal to 10 wt./vol. % of, within less than or equal to 5 wt./vol. % of, within less than or equal to 1 wt./vol. % of, within less than or equal to 0.1 wt./vol. % of, and within less than or equal to 0.01 wt./vol. % of the stated amount.
  • FIGS. are drawn to scale, but such scale should not be limiting, since dimensions and proportions other than what are shown are contemplated and are within the scope of the disclosed inventions. Distances, angles, etc. are merely illustrative and do not necessarily bear an exact relationship to actual dimensions and layout of the devices illustrated. Components can be added, removed, and/or rearranged. Further, the disclosure herein of any particular feature, aspect, method, property, characteristic, quality, attribute, element, or the like in connection with various embodiments can be used in all other embodiments set forth herein. Additionally, it will be recognized that any methods described herein may be practiced using any device suitable for performing the recited steps.

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