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US 9,765,441 B2Granted
Methods of forming borided down-hole tools
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsVivekanand Sista, James L. Overstreet, John H. Stevens
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Abstract
A method of forming a downhole tool comprises contacting at least one downhole structure comprising at least one metal material with a molten electrolyte comprising anhydrous sodium tetraborate. Electrical current is applied to at least a portion of the at least one downhole structure to form at least one borided downhole structure comprising at least one metal boride material. Other methods of forming a downhole tool, and a downhole tool are also described.
Claims18
A method of forming a downhole tool, comprising:
- directly contacting a surface of a metal material of a downhole structure with a molten electrolyte consisting of anhydrous Na2B4O7, the metal material consisting of AISI 4815 alloy steel, AISI 4130M7 alloy steel, AISI 4140 alloy steel, AISI 4145H alloy steel, AISI 4715 alloy steel, AISI 8620 alloy steel, AISI 8630 alloy steel, SAE PS55 alloy steel, P550 alloy steel, P650 alloy steel, or P750 alloy steel;
- applying electrical current to the downhole structure to convert at least a portion of the metal material into a metal boride material and form a borided downhole structure;
- masking the metal boride material;
- and
- carburizing at least one non-borided portion of the borided downhole structure after masking the metal boride material.
2 more elements
A method of forming a downhole tool, comprising:
- at least partially inserting a surface of a metal material of a downhole structure into a molten electrolyte consisting of anhydrous Na2B4O7 at a temperature of from about 770° C. to about 1400° C., the metal material consisting of AISI 4815 alloy steel, AISI 4130M7 alloy steel, AISI 4140 alloy steel, AISI 4145H alloy steel, AISI 4715 alloy steel, AISI 8620 alloy steel, AISI 8630 alloy steel, SAE PS55 alloy steel, P550 alloy steel, P650 alloy steel, or P750 alloy steel;
- applying electrical current to the downhole structure for a period of time within a range of from about one minute to about five hours to convert at least a portion of the metal material into a metal boride material and form a borided downhole structure;
- masking the metal boride material;
- carburizing at least one non-borided portion of the borided downhole structure after masking the metal boride material;
- and
- securing the borided downhole structure to another downhole structure.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.