Earth boring cutting inserts and earth boring bits including the same

Abstract

An earth boring cutting insert including a cemented carbide comprising metal carbide grains dispersed in a metallic binder including at least one of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium. Also disclosed is an earth boring bit such as, for example, a rotary-cone earth boring bit or a percussion bit, including at least one earth boring cutting insert comprising a cemented carbide including a metallic binder comprising at least one of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An earth boring cutting insert including:
 a cemented carbide comprising a metallic binder including greater than an impurities concentration of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium.   
     
     
         2 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 1 , wherein the cemented carbide comprises:
 a dispersed phase including hard grains including metal carbide comprising at least one transition metal selected from titanium, vanadium, chromium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, and tungsten; and   a continuous phase of a metallic binder comprising
 at least one of cobalt, a cobalt alloy, nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, and an iron alloy, and 
 at least one element selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium, wherein the combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder is 0.1 to 10 weight percent, based on the total weight of the cemented carbide. 
   
     
     
         3 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 2 , wherein the metallic binder comprises a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder that is 0.3 to 7 weight percent, based on the total weight of the cemented carbide. 
     
     
         4 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 2 , wherein the metallic binder comprises a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder that is 0.5 to 5 weight percent, based on the total weight of the cemented carbide. 
     
     
         5 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 2 , wherein the cemented carbide comprises 2 to 40 weight percent of the metallic binder and 60 to 98 weight percent of the dispersed phase. 
     
     
         6 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 2 , wherein the hard grains of the dispersed phase comprise at least one of titanium carbide, vanadium carbide, chromium carbide, zirconium carbide, niobium carbide, molybdenum carbide, hafnium carbide, tantalum carbide, and tungsten carbide. 
     
     
         7 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 2 , wherein the hard grains of the dispersed phase comprise tungsten carbide. 
     
     
         8 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 2 , wherein the metallic binder comprises cobalt and ruthenium. 
     
     
         9 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 2 , wherein the hard grains of the dispersed phase comprise tungsten carbide, and the metallic binder comprises cobalt and ruthenium. 
     
     
         10 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 2 , wherein the hard grains of the dispersed phase consist essentially of tungsten carbide, and the metallic binder comprises cobalt and ruthenium. 
     
     
         11 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting insert is adapted for use with at least one of a rotary-cone earth boring bit and a percussion bit. 
     
     
         12 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 2 , wherein the cutting insert is adapted for use with at least one of a rotary-cone earth boring bit and a percussion bit. 
     
     
         13 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting insert comprises a working portion and a body portion. 
     
     
         14 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 13 , wherein the working portion includes a shape selected from an ovoid shape, a ballistic shape, a chisel shape, a multi-dome shape, and a conical shape. 
     
     
         15 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 2 , wherein the cutting insert comprises a working portion and a body portion. 
     
     
         16 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 15 , wherein the working portion comprises a shape selected from an ovoid shape, a ballistic shape, a chisel shape, a multi-dome shape, and a conical shape. 
     
     
         17 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 1 , wherein the cutting insert comprises:
 a first region comprising a first cemented carbide including a dispersed phase including hard grains of metal carbide in a metallic binder, the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide including at least one of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium, wherein a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder is 0.1 to 10 weight percent, based on the weight of the first cemented carbide; and   a second region comprising a second cemented carbide including a dispersed phase including hard grains of metal carbide in a metallic binder, wherein the metallic binder of the second cemented carbide includes a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium that is less than the combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide.   
     
     
         18 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 17 , wherein the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder that is 0.3 to 7 weight percent, based on the total weight of the cemented carbide. 
     
     
         19 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 17 , wherein the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder that is 0.5 to 5 weight percent, based on the total weight of the cemented carbide. 
     
     
         20 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 17 , wherein the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises 0.1 to 10 weight percent ruthenium, based on the total weight of the first cemented carbide. 
     
     
         21 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 17 , wherein the metallic binder of the second cemented carbide including no greater than an impurities concentration of ruthenium. 
     
     
         22 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 17 , wherein the metallic binder of the second cemented carbide does not include ruthenium. 
     
     
         23 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 17 , wherein the first cemented carbide and the second cemented carbide each individually comprise:
 a dispersed phase including hard grains of metal carbide comprising at least one transition metal selected from titanium, vanadium, chromium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, and tungsten; and   a continuous phase of a metallic binder comprising at least one of cobalt, a cobalt alloy, nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, and an iron alloy.   
     
     
         24 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 17 , wherein the first region includes a working portion of the cutting insert. 
     
     
         25 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 24 , wherein the working portion comprises a shape selected from an ovoid shape, a ballistic shape, a chisel shape, a multi-dome shape, and a conical shape. 
     
     
         26 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 17 , wherein:
 the dispersed phase of the first cemented carbide comprises tungsten carbide, and the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises cobalt; and   the dispersed phase of the second cemented carbide comprises tungsten carbide, and the metallic binder of the second cemented carbide comprises cobalt.   
     
     
         27 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 17 , wherein the cutting insert is adapted for use with at least one of a rotary-cone earth boring bit and a percussion bit. 
     
     
         28 . An earth boring cutting insert comprising:
 a working portion comprising a first cemented carbide including
 a dispersed phase including hard grains of metal carbide comprising at least one transition metal selected from titanium, vanadium, chromium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, and tungsten, and 
 a continuous phase of a metallic binder comprising
 at least one of cobalt, a cobalt alloy, nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, and an iron alloy, and 
 at least one element selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium, wherein the combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder is 0.1 to 10 weight percent, based on the total weight of the first cemented carbide; and 
 
   a body portion comprising a second cemented carbide including
 a dispersed phase including hard grains of metal carbide comprising at least one transition metal selected from titanium, chromium, vanadium, zirconium, hafnium, tantalum, molybdenum, niobium, and tungsten, and 
 a continuous phase of a metallic binder comprising
 at least one of cobalt, a cobalt alloy, nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, and an iron alloy, and 
 a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder that is less than the combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide. 
 
   
     
     
         29 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 28 , wherein the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium that is 0.3 to 7 weight percent, based on the total weight of the first cemented carbide. 
     
     
         30 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 28 , wherein the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium that is 0.5 to 5 weight percent, based on the total weight of the first cemented carbide. 
     
     
         31 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 28 , wherein
 the dispersed phase of the first cemented carbide comprises tungsten carbide; and   the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises cobalt.   
     
     
         32 . The earth boring cutting insert of  claim 31 , wherein
 the dispersed phase of the second cemented carbide comprises tungsten carbide; and   the metallic binder of the second cemented carbide comprises cobalt.   
     
     
         33 . An earth boring bit comprising:
 a bit body; and   at least one earth boring cutting insert comprising a metallic binder including at least one element selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium, wherein the combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder is 0.1 to 10 weight percent, based on the total weight of the cemented carbide.   
     
     
         34 . The earth boring bit of  claim 33 , wherein the cemented carbide comprises:
 a dispersed phase including hard grains of metal carbide comprising at least one transition metal selected from titanium, vanadium, chromium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, and tungsten; and   a continuous phase of a metallic binder comprising 0.1 to 10 weight percent ruthenium, based on the total weight of the cemented carbide, and at least one of cobalt, a cobalt alloy, nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, and an iron alloy.   
     
     
         35 . The earth boring bit of  claim 34 , wherein the metallic binder comprises a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium that is 0.3 to 7 weight percent, based on the total weight of the cemented carbide. 
     
     
         36 . The earth boring bit of  claim 34 , wherein the metallic binder comprises a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium that is 0.5 to 5 weight percent, based on the total weight of the cemented carbide. 
     
     
         37 . The earth boring bit of  claim 34 , wherein the cemented carbide comprises 2 to 40 weight percent of the metallic binder and 60 to 98 weight percent of the dispersed phase. 
     
     
         38 . The earth boring bit of  claim 34 , wherein the hard grains of the dispersed phase comprise at least one of titanium carbide, vanadium carbide, chromium carbide, zirconium carbide, niobium carbide, molybdenum carbide, hafnium carbide, tantalum carbide, and tungsten carbide. 
     
     
         39 . The earth boring bit of  claim 34 , wherein the hard grains of the dispersed phase comprise tungsten carbide. 
     
     
         40 . The earth boring bit of  claim 34 , wherein the metallic binder comprises cobalt and ruthenium. 
     
     
         41 . The earth boring bit of  claim 33 , wherein the earth boring bit is one of a rotary-cone earth boring bit and a percussion bit. 
     
     
         42 . The earth boring bit of  claim 34 , wherein the earth boring bit is one of a rotary-cone earth boring bit and a percussion bit. 
     
     
         43 . The earth boring bit of  claim 33 , wherein the at least one earth boring cutting insert comprises:
 a first region comprising a first cemented carbide including metal carbide grains dispersed in a metallic binder, the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide including at least one element selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium, wherein the combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder is 0.1 to 10 weight percent, based on the total weight of the first cemented carbide; and   a second region comprising a second cemented carbide including metal carbide grains dispersed in a metallic binder, wherein the metallic binder of the second cemented carbide includes a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder that is less than the combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide.   
     
     
         44 . The earth boring bit of  claim 43 , wherein the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises 0.1 to 10 weight percent ruthenium, based on the total weight of the first cemented carbide. 
     
     
         45 . The earth boring bit of  claim 43 , wherein the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder that is 0.3 to 7 weight percent, based on the total weight of the first cemented carbide. 
     
     
         46 . The earth boring bit of  claim 43 , wherein the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder that is 0.5 to 5 weight percent, based on the total weight of the first cemented carbide. 
     
     
         47 . The earth boring bit of  claim 43 , wherein the metallic binder of the second cemented carbide does not include ruthenium. 
     
     
         48 . The earth boring bit of  claim 43 , wherein:
 the first cemented carbide comprises tungsten carbide grains, and the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises cobalt; and   the second cemented carbide comprises tungsten carbide grains, and the metallic binder of the second cemented carbide comprises cobalt.   
     
     
         49 . The earth boring bit of  claim 43 , wherein the earth boring bit is one of a rotary-cone earth boring bit and a percussion bit. 
     
     
         50 . An earth boring bit including
 at least one earth boring cutting insert comprising:
 a working portion comprising a first cemented carbide including
 a dispersed phase including hard grains of metal carbide comprising at least one transition metal selected from titanium, vanadium, chromium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, hafnium, tantalum, and tungsten, and 
 a continuous phase of a metallic binder comprising
 at least one of cobalt, a cobalt alloy, nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, and an iron alloy, and 
 at least one of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium, wherein the combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder is 0.1 to 10 weight percent, based on the total weight of the first cemented carbide; and 
 
 
 a body portion comprising a second cemented carbide including
 a dispersed phase including hard grains of metal carbide comprising at least one transition metal selected from titanium, chromium, vanadium, zirconium, hafnium, tantalum, molybdenum, niobium, and tungsten, and 
 a continuous phase of a metallic binder comprising
 at least one of cobalt, a cobalt alloy, nickel, a nickel alloy, iron, and an iron alloy, and 
 a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium that is less than the combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide. 
 
 
   
     
     
         51 . The earth boring bit of  claim 50 , wherein the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises 0.1 to 10 weight percent ruthenium, based on the total weight of the first cemented carbide. 
     
     
         52 . The earth boring bit of  claim 50 , wherein the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder that is 0.3 to 7 weight percent, based on the total weight of the first cemented carbide. 
     
     
         53 . The earth boring bit of  claim 50 , wherein the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises a combined concentration of platinum, palladium, rhenium, rhodium, and ruthenium in the metallic binder that is 0.5 to 5 weight percent, based on the total weight of the first cemented carbide 
     
     
         54 . The earth boring bit of  claim 50 , wherein
 the dispersed phase of the first cemented carbide comprises tungsten carbide; and   the metallic binder of the first cemented carbide comprises cobalt.