Abstract: The disclosure provides a mold for a downhole tool or component thereof. The mold includes a grain material, a sodium silicate and carbon dioxide reaction product, and between 0.1% and 10% graphite by weight, inclusive, graphite. The disclosure further provides a method of forming a mold for a downhole tool or component thereof by filling a mold housing with graphite/sodium silicate/grain material mixture including between 0.1% and 10% graphite by weight, inclusive and shaping the mixture into a pre-mold having the same shape as the mold to be formed, and subjecting the pre-mold to an atmosphere having elevated amounts of carbon dioxide as compared to ambient air for a time sufficient to allow the sodium silicate to react with the carbon dioxide to form sufficient reaction products to bind the other pre-mold components and solidify a mold.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a mold for a downhole tool or component thereof. The mold includes a grain material, a sodium silicate and carbon dioxide reaction product, and between 0.1% and 10% graphite by weight, inclusive, graphite. The disclosure further provides a method of forming a mold for a downhole tool or component thereof by filling a mold housing with graphite/sodium silicate/grain material mixture including between 0.1% and 10% graphite by weight, inclusive and shaping the mixture into a pre-mold having the same shape as the mold to be formed, and subjecting the pre-mold to an atmosphere having elevated amounts of carbon dioxide as compared to ambient air for a time sufficient to allow the sodium silicate to react with the carbon dioxide to form sufficient reaction products to bind the other pre-mold components and solidify a mold.