Process for the production of an element comprising at least one block of dense material constituted by hard particles dispersed in a binder phase : application to cutting or drilling tools

Alfazazi Dourfaye (1) , Christophe Colin (2) , Elodie Sorlier (2) , Hedi Sellami (3)

1 Varel Europe
2 CDM - Centre des Matériaux
3 GEOSCIENCES - Centre de Géosciences

A process is presented which produces at least one block of dense material constituted by hard particles dispersed in a binder phase, it being possible for the dense material to be enriched locally with binder phase by imbibition. The process includes bringing at least one imbibition area of a surface of the block, preferably coated with a coating material, into contact with an imbibiting material which locally enriches the block with binder phase. The block in contact with the imbibiting material is then subjected to a suitable thermal cycle constituted by heating, temperature maintenance and cooling. This serves to bring some or all of the imbibiting material and the binder phase of the block into the liquid state in such a manner that the enrichment with binder phase takes place solely through the imbibition area. The block is used in connection with the building of a drill bit or tool.

Mots clés: imbibition; process; gradual; carbide; PDC; drilling; cutting; bit

Domaines: Matériaux et structures en mécanique [physics.class-ph]; Matériaux et structures en mécanique [physics.class-ph]

Alfazazi Dourfaye, Christophe Colin, Elodie Sorlier, Hedi Sellami. Process for the production of an element comprising at least one block of dense material constituted by hard particles dispersed in a binder phase : application to cutting or drilling tools. United States, Patent n° : US 2008/0240879 A1. 2008, pp.12. ⟨hal-00749128⟩