Fully infiltrated rotary drill bit

Abstract

A fully infiltrated rotary drill bit having a bit body that includes at least one particle-matrix composite material having a particle material composition and a binder material having a binder material composition that differs from the particle material composition. The particle material composition has a particle material melting temperature and the binder material composition has a binder melting temperature that is lower than the particle material melting temperature.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A rotary drill bit, comprising:
 a bit body having a distal cutting region configured to engage a subterranean earth formation and a proximal treaded region configured to be selectively coupled to a drill sting, the bit body comprising:   at least one particle-matrix composite material, each particle-matrix composite material having a particle material composition that has a particle material melting temperature, and   a binder material having a binder material composition differing from the particle material composition and having a binder material melting temperature that is lower than the particle material melting temperature,   wherein at least one of the particle-matrix material composition and the binder material composition is comprised of a matrix material and a plurality of hard particles dispersed throughout the matrix materials, and wherein the binder material is infiltrated within the particle-matrix material to form a substantially uniform particle grain microstructure.   
     
     
         2 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein each particle-matrix composite material is substantially comprised of the matrix material having the plurality of hard particles dispersed throughout. 
     
     
         3 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein the binder material comprises a second particle-matrix composite material. 
     
     
         4 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 3 , wherein the binder material is substantially comprised of a matrix material having a plurality of hard particles dispersed throughout. 
     
     
         5 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 4 , wherein the binder material comprises copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo) individually or alloys based on these metals. 
     
     
         6 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 4 , wherein the binder material comprises non-magnetic materials. 
     
     
         7 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 4 , wherein the binder material comprises wear resistant materials. 
     
     
         8 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 4 , wherein the hard particles comprise diamond, or metal or semi-metal carbides, nitrides, oxides, or borides. 
     
     
         9 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 5 , wherein the matrix materials comprise cobalt-based alloys, iron-based alloys, nickel-based alloys, cobalt and nickel-based alloys, iron and nickel-based alloys, iron and cobalt-based alloys, aluminum-based alloys, copper-based alloys, magnesium-based alloys, tungsten-based and titanium-based alloys. 
     
     
         10 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein the matrix material in the particle-matrix composite material comprises non-magnetic materials. 
     
     
         11 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 2 , wherein the matrix material in the particle-matrix composite material comprises wear resistant materials. 
     
     
         12 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the binder material comprises a second particle-matrix composite material. 
     
     
         13 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 12 , wherein the binder material is substantially comprised of the matrix material having the plurality of hard particles dispersed throughout. 
     
     
         14 . The rotary bit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one particle-matrix composite material is in an unmelted state in the formed substantially uniform particle grain microstructure. 
     
     
         15 . The rotary bit of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one particle-matrix composite material comprises a plurality of particle-matrix composite materials, and wherein each particle-matrix composite material is disposed in a layer positioned transverse to a longitudinal axis of the bit body. 
     
     
         16 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 4 , wherein the matrix of the particle-matrix composite composition comprises a tungsten-based alloy. 
     
     
         17 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 16 , wherein the matrix of the binder material composition is selected from a group comprising a copper-based alloy, a zinc-based alloy, and a nickel-based alloy. 
     
     
         18 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 4 , wherein the matrix of the particle-matrix composite composition comprises a tungsten carbide-based alloy. 
     
     
         19 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 18 , wherein the matrix of the binder material composition is selected from a group comprising a copper-based alloy, a zinc-based alloy, and a nickel-based alloy. 
     
     
         20 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal treaded region defines an open internal cavity extending along a longitudinal axis of the bit body, and wherein a helical thread is formed on an interior wall surface of the open internal cavity, the helical thread being configured matingly engage and attach to the drill string. 
     
     
         21 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the proximal treaded region defines an exterior surface, and wherein a helical thread is formed on at least a portion of the exterior surface, the helical thread being configured matingly engage and attach to the drill string. 
     
     
         22 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the particle-matrix composite material is substantially encapsulated by the infiltrated binder material. 
     
     
         23 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the difference between the binder material melting temperature and the particle material melting temperature is greater than 500° F. 
     
     
         24 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the difference between the binder material melting temperature and the particle material melting temperature is greater than 1000° F. 
     
     
         25 . The rotary drill bit of  claim 1 , wherein the difference between the binder material melting temperature and the particle material melting temperature is greater than 1,500° F.