Bn) drilling tools made of wurtzite boron nitride (W-BN)

A method to form a tool for oil and gas application, the method comprising:

• performing an ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature operation on pure wurtzite boron nitride (w-BN) powder to synthesize a BN compact comprising w-BN and cubic boron nitride (c-BN), wherein the BN compact has a first size greater than particles of the pure w-BN powder, and wherein the ultra-high-pressure, high-temperature operation comprises:
• pressurizing the w-BN powder to a pressure of approximately 20 gigapascals, forming pressurized powder;
• heating the pressurized powder at a heating rate of 100° C./minute, forming the BN compact;
• and
• cooling the BN compact at a cooling rate of 50° C./minute;
• cutting the BN compact into a plurality of cut compacts having a second size smaller than the first size using laser cutting tools;
• inserting the plurality of cut compacts within a respective plurality of recesses formed in a tool substrate;
• heating the tool substrate with the plurality of inserted cut compacts;
• and
• after heating the tool substrate, cooling the tool substrate with the plurality of inserted cut compacts to form the tool, wherein heating the tool substrate comprises heating the tool substrate to a temperature in a range of from 200° C. to 300° C. at a heating rate in a range of from 5° C./minute to 10° C./minute.