Methods of forming borided down hole tools
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsVivekanand Sista, John H. Stevens, James L. Overstreet
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of forming a down-hole tool comprises contacting at least a portion of at least one down-hole structure comprising at least one ceramic-metal composite material with a molten electrolyte comprising sodium tetraborate. Electrical current is applied to at least a portion of the at least one down-hole structure to form at least one borided down-hole structure comprising at least one metal boride material. Other methods of forming a down-hole tool, and a down-hole tool are also described.
Claims18
A method of forming a down-hole tool, comprising:
- directly contacting a surface of a ceramic-metal composite material of a down-hole structure with a molten electrolyte comprising Na2B4O7 and PbO, wherein the molten electrolyte comprises from about 50 wt % to about 90 wt % of Na2B4O7 and from about 10 wt % to about 50 wt % PbO, the ceramic-metal composite material of the down-hole structure comprising hard ceramic phase particles in a meta material matrix;
- and
- applying electrical current to the down-hole structure to convert at least a portion of the metal material matrix of the ceramic-metal composite material into a metal boride matrix and provide the ceramic-metal composite material with a metal boride-containing surface.
A method of forming a down-hole tool, comprising:
- at least partially inserting at least one down-hole structure having a surface comprising hard ceramic phase particles in a metal matrix into a molten electrolyte consisting of anhydrous Na2B4O7 at a temperature of from about 770° C. to about 1400° C.;
- applying electrical current to the at least one down-hole structure for a period of time within a range of from about one (1) minute to about five (5) hours to convert at least a portion of the metal matrix into a metal boride matrix and form at least one borided down-hole structure;
- masking the ceramic-metal composite material;
- carburizing at least one non-borided portion of the at least one borided down-hole structure after masking the ceramic-metal composite material;
- and
- securing the at least one borided down-hole structure to at least one other down-hole structure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.