Abstract: An example insulation enclosure includes a support structure having a top end, a bottom end, and an opening defined at the bottom end for receiving a mold within an interior of the support structure, and a thermal mass arranged at the top end of the support structure to thermally communicate with a top of the mold and resist heat flow from the top of the mold in an axial direction.

Abstract: Continuous fiber-reinforced hard composites may be useful in mitigating crack propagation in downhole tools. In some instances, a wellbore tool may be formed at least in part by a continuous fiber-reinforced hard composite portion that includes a binder material continuous phase with reinforcing particles and continuous fibers contained therein, wherein the continuous fibers have an aspect ratio at least 15 times greater than a critical aspect ratio (Ac), wherein Ac=?f/(2Tc, ?f is an ultimate tensile strength of the continuous fibers, and Tc is a lower of (1) an interfacial shear bond strength between the continuous fibers and the binder material and (2) a yield stress of the binder material.

Abstract: A wellbore tool may be formed, at least in part, by a fiber-reinforced hard composite portion that comprises a binder, matrix particles, and reinforcing fibers, wherein the reinforcing fibers have an aspect ratio ranging from equal to a critical aspect ratio (Ac) to 15 times greater than the Ac, wherein Ac=?f/(2Tc), ?f is an ultimate tensile strength of the reinforcing fibers, and Tc is an interfacial shear bond strength between the reinforcing fiber and the binder or a yield stress of the binder, whichever is lower.

Abstract: Forming a precipitation hardened composite material having reinforcing particles and precipitated intermetallic particles dispersed in the binder material may involve heat treating the hard composite material at a temperature above a solvus line for the binder material and below a melting point of the binder material and quenching the hard composite material to a temperature below the solvus line of the binder material. At least some of the precipitated intermetallic particles in the precipitation hardened composite material may have at least one dimension less than 1 micron. Such precipitated intermetallic particles may optionally be grown to larger sizes by heat treating the precipitation hardened composite material at a temperature below the solvus line of the binder material.

Abstract: An earth-boring drill bit includes a bit body having a powder component and a binder. The powder component includes a plurality of nanotubes disposed on a surface of at least one particle of the powder component.

Abstract: A drill bit may include a matrix bit body and a plurality of cutting elements coupled to an exterior portion of the matrix bit body, wherein the matrix bit body includes matrix particles and precipitated intermetallic particles dispersed in a binder, at least some of the matrix particles having a diameter of 50 microns or greater, and at least some of the precipitated intermetallic particles having at least one dimension of 1 micron to 30 microns.

Abstract: An example drill bit for subterranean drilling operations includes a drill bit body with a blade. The drill bit may further include a cutting element and an alloy affixing the cutting element to the blade. The alloy may include a particulate phase, such as ceramic material or an intermetallic material, that increases the strength of the alloy without significantly affecting the melting point of the alloy.

Abstract: A drill bit in which a cutting element support shoe is mounted to a drill bit member so that it covers a portion of a number cutting elements while leaving the cutting edges of cutting elements exposed to the formation. The drill bit member may include a bit body, blade, arm, or roller, for example. The drill bit member may include a recess into which the cutting element support shoe is received. Cutting element support shoe provides mechanical holding of the cutting elements within their pockets in addition to conventional brazing or other mounting techniques. Once installed, a hard facing material may be applied over the cutting element support shoe as appropriate for increased erosion resistance. In one embodiment, the cutting element support shoe is sized so that when mounted to the drill bit member it is elastically deformed, thereby providing additional cutter retaining force upon attachment.

Abstract: A vented blank may be useful in the production of a matrix bit body. A mold assembly for use in producing a matrix bit body may include a cavity defined within the mold assembly. A core and a matrix material are disposed within the cavity. A metal blank is disposed about the core and supported at least partially by the matrix material such that the metal blank extends above the matrix material. A vent extends from the metal blank, defining an annular space between the vent and the mold assembly.

Abstract: A hard composite composition comprises a binder; and a polymodal blend of matrix powder. In an embodiment, the polymodal blend of matrix powder has at least one local maxima at a particle size of 30 ?m or less, at least one local maxima at a particle size of 200 ?m or more, and at least one local minima between a particle size of about 30 ?m to about 200 ?m that has a value that is less than the local maxima at a particle size of 30 ?m or less.

Abstract: A wellbore tool may be formed, at least in part, by a fiber-reinforced hard composite portion that comprises reinforcing particles and reinforcing fibers dispersed in a binder, wherein the reinforcing fibers have an aspect ratio ranging from 1 to 15 times a critical aspect ratio (Ac), wherein Ac=?f/(2Tc), ?f is an ultimate tensile strength of the reinforcing fibers, and Tc is an interfacial shear bond strength between the reinforcing fiber and the binder or a yield stress of the binder, whichever is lower.

Abstract: A hard composite composition comprises a binder, and a polymodal blend of matrix powder In an embodiment, the polymodal blend of matrix powder has at least one local maxima at a particle size of 30 ?m or less, at least one local maxima at a particle size of 200 ?m or more, and at least one local minima between a particle size of about 30 ?m to about 200 ?m that has a value that is less than the local maxima at a particle size of 30 ?m or less.

Abstract: A hard composite composition may comprise a binder and a polymodal blend of matrix powder. The polymodal blend of matrix powder may have at least one first local maxima at a particle size of about 0.5 nm to about 30 ?m, at least one second local maxima at a particle size of about 200 ?m to about 10 mm, and at least one local minima between a particle size of about 30 ?m to about 200 ?m that has a value that is less than the first local maxima.

Abstract: A system of repairing and protecting a surface of a drill bit includes forming a drill bit body that includes a magnetized material or is otherwise magnetizable. The drill bit includes at least one cutting element and is operable to generate a magnetic field. A drilling fluid that includes magnetizable, regenerative particles is circulated through a drill string and wellbore in which the drill bit is deployed. The magnetic field attracts the regenerative particles to the surface of the drill bit body to occupy cracks and chips formed in the surface of the drill bit body, and to form a protective layer of the regenerative particles over the surface of the drill bit body.

Abstract: A hard composite composition may comprise a binder and a polymodal blend of matrix powder. The polymodal blend of matrix powder may have at least one first local maxima at a particle size of about 0.5 nm to about 30 ?m, at least one second local maxima at a particle size of about 200 ?m to about 10 mm, and at least one local minima between a particle size of about 30 ?m to about 200 ?m that has a value that is less than the first local maxima.

Abstract: A hard composite composition comprises a binder; and a polymodal blend of matrix powder. In an embodiment, the polymodal blend of matrix powder has at least one local maxima at a particle size of 30 ?m or less, at least one local maxima at a particle size of 200 ?m or more, and at least one local minima between a particle size of about 30 ?m to about 200 ?m that has a value that is less than the local maxima at a particle size of 30 ?m or less.

Abstract: A hard composite composition comprises a binder, and a polymodal blend of matrix powder In an embodiment, the polymodal blend of matrix powder has at least one local maxima at a particle size of 30 ?m or less, at least one local maxima at a particle size of 200 ?m or more, and at least one local minima between a particle size of about 30 ?m to about 200 ?m that has a value that is less than the local maxima at a particle size of 30 ?m or less.

Abstract: A hard composite composition may comprise a binder and a polymodal blend of matrix powder. The polymodal blend of matrix powder may have at least one first local maxima at a particle size of about 0.5 nm to about 30 ?m, at least one second local maxima at a particle size of about 200 ?m to about 10 mm, and at least one local minima between a particle size of about 30 ?m to about 200 ?m that has a value that is less than the first local maxima.

Abstract: A hard composite composition comprises a binder; and a polymodal blend of matrix powder. In an embodiment, the polymodal blend of matrix powder has at least one local maxima at a particle size of 30 ?m or less, at least one local maxima at a particle size of 200 ?m or more, and at least one local minima between a particle size of about 30 ?m to about 200 ?m that has a value that is less than the local maxima at a particle size of 30 ?m or less.

Abstract: A hard composite composition comprises a binder; and a polymodal blend of matrix powder. In an embodiment, the polymodal blend of matrix powder has at least one local maxima at a particle size of 30 ?m or less, at least one local maxima at a particle size of 200 ?m or more, and at least one local minima between a particle size of about 30 ?m to about 200 ?m that has a value that is less than the local maxima at a particle size of 30 ?m or less.