Impregnated material with variable erosion properties for rock drilling

A drill bit, comprising:

• a bit body;
• and
• a plurality of ribs formed in the bit body;
• wherein at least one rib comprises a first matrix material comprising a first hard particle phase and a first binder phase, infiltrated with a plurality of encapsulated particles;
• the encapsulated particles comprising an abrasive grit encapsulated within a shell;
• wherein the shell comprises a second matrix material different from the first matrix material;
• and wherein the second matrix material comprises a second hard particle phase and a second metal binder phase;
• wherein the average particle size of the first hard particle phase is different from the average particle size of the second hard particle phase.

A method of forming an impregnated cutting structure comprising:

• loading a plurality of encapsulated particles and a first matrix material comprising a first hard particle phase and a first binder phase into a mold cavity, the encapsulated particles comprising:
• an abrasive grit encapsulated within a shell, wherein the shell comprises a second matrix material, comprising a second hard particle phase and a second metal binder phase, different from the first matrix material wherein the average particle size of the first hard particle phase is different from the average particle size of the second hard particle phase;
• and
• heating the encapsulated particles within the first matrix material to form an impregnated cutting structure, where the first and second matrix materials are different.