Abrasive wear-resistant materials, methods for applying such materials to earth-boring tools, and methods of securing a cutting element to an earth-boring tool using such materials

A method for applying an abrasive wear-resistant material to a surface of a drill bit for drilling subterranean formations, the method comprising:

• providing a drill bit for drilling subterranean formations, the drill bit comprising a bit body having an outer surface;
• mixing a plurality of −20 ASTM mesh sintered tungsten carbide pellets and a plurality of −40 ASTM mesh cast tungsten carbide granules in a matrix material to provide a pre-application abrasive wear-resistant material, the matrix material comprising at least 75% nickel by weight, the matrix material having a melting point of less than about 1100° C., each sintered tungsten carbide pellet comprising a plurality of tungsten carbide particles bonded together with a binder alloy, the binder alloy having a melting point greater than about 1200° C., the matrix material comprising between about 20% and about 60% by weight of the pre-application abrasive wear-resistant material, the plurality of sintered tungsten carbide pellets comprising between about 30% and about 55% by weight of the pre-application abrasive wear-resistant material, the plurality of cast tungsten carbide granules comprising less than about 35% by weight of the pre-application abrasive wear-resistant material;
• melting the matrix material, melting the matrix material comprising heating at least a portion of the pre-application abrasive wear-resistant material to a temperature above the melting point of the matrix material and less than about 1200° C. to melt the matrix material;
• applying the molten matrix material, at least some of the sintered tungsten carbide pellets, and at least some of the cast tungsten carbide granules to at least a portion of the outer surface of the drill bit;
• and
• solidifying the molten matrix material.

A method for securing a cutting element to a bit body of a rotary drill bit, the method comprising:

• providing a cutting element;
• providing a rotary drill bit including a bit body having an outer surface and a pocket therein, the pocket being configured to receive a portion of the cutting element;
• positioning a portion of the cutting element within the pocket in the outer surface of the bit body;
• providing a brazing alloy;
• melting the brazing alloy;
• applying molten brazing alloy to an interface between the cutting element and the outer surface of the bit body;
• solidifying the molten brazing alloy, and
• applying an abrasive wear-resistant material to a surface of the drill bit, at least a continuous portion of the abrasive wear-resistant material being bonded to a surface of the cutting element and a portion of the outer surface of the bit body and extending over the interface between the cutting element and the outer surface of the bit body and covering the brazing alloy, the abrasive wear-resistant material comprising:
• a matrix material comprising at least 75% nickel by weight, the matrix material having a melting point of less than about 1100° C.;
• a plurality of sintered tungsten carbide pellets substantially randomly dispersed throughout the matrix material, each sintered tungsten carbide pellet comprising a plurality of tungsten carbide particles bonded together with a binder alloy, the binder alloy having a melting point greater than about 1200° C.;
• and
• a plurality of cast tungsten carbide granules substantially randomly dispersed throughout the matrix material.