Material and method of manufacture for engineered reactive matrix composites

A method for forming a dissolvable device for use in a downhole application comprising:

• providing a reactive matrix composite;
• said reactive matrix composite comprising a plurality of porous preformed particles;
• each of said porous preformed particles formed of a plurality of coated particles that have been sintered together or consolidated under pressure;
• each of said coated particles formed of a primary core and a reactive binder that is coated on said primary core;
• said primary core and said reactive binder formed of different materials;
• said coating thickness of said reactive binder is less than a particle diameter of said primary core;
• said primary core including a material selected from the group consisting of a) ceramic and/or oxide and wherein said ceramic and/or oxide includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of iron oxide, KClO4, AgNO3, and Bi2O3, and b) carbon and wherein said carbon includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of graphite, carbonyl iron powder, iron-coated carbon fiber, nickel-coated carbon fiber, and milled graphite fiber;
• said reactive binder includes one or more materials selected from the group consisting of silicon, silver, zinc, magnesium, aluminum, iron, graphite, titanium, zirconium, tantalum, hafnium, tungsten, molybdenum, chrome, boron, manganese, silicon, germanium, aluminum-iron, magnesium-iron, magnesium-carbon, aluminum-carbon, nickel-aluminum, titanium-boron, calcium, sodium, carbonyl iron, and lithium;
• said primary core constitutes about 30-90% by volume of said coated particle, said primary core has an average particle diameter of about 0.1-500 microns;
• and,
• forming said reactive matrix composite such that said dissolvable device is at least partially formed of said reactive matrix composite;
• said reactive matrix composite having a dissolution rate of about 0.1-5 mm/hour in a brine solution;
• said reactive matrix composite having a strength that is greater than 8000 psig, said dissolvable device is in the form of a proppant, frac ball, valve, plug, ball, or sleeve.