RECONFIGURABLE DOWNHOLE ARTICLE
A reconfigurable downhole article is disclosed. The article comprises a base material. The article also comprises a removable material disposed on or within the base material that is configured for removal from the base material in response to a wellbore condition, wherein the base material and the removable material define a base article that is configured to perform a first function, and wherein upon removal of the removable material, the base material defines a modified article that is configured to perform a second function that is different than the first function.
1 . A reconfigurable downhole article, comprising:
a base material; and
a removable material disposed on or within the base material that is configured for removal from the base material in response to a wellbore condition, wherein the base material and the removable material define a base article that is configured to perform a first function, and wherein upon removal of the removable material, the base material defines a modified article that is configured to perform a second function that is different than the first function.
2 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein the base article comprises a downhole tool or component and the modified article comprises a downhole tool or component having a feature that is not found in the base article.
3 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein upon removal of the removable material, the modified article comprises at least one of a predetermined surface texture in the base material, a predetermined porosity in the base material or a substantially closed cavity in the base material that was not present in the base article.
4 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined porosity comprises porosity on a surface of the modified article.
5 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined porosity extends from a first surface through a wall section to a second surface.
6 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein the base material comprises a metal, ceramic, polymer, inorganic compound, cement or concrete, or a combination thereof.
7 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein the removable material comprises a plurality of corrodible metal powder particles dispersed within the base material.
8 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 7 , wherein each corrodible metal powder particle comprises: a particle core, the particle core comprises a core material comprising Mg, Al, Zn, Fe or Mn, or alloys thereof, or a combination thereof, and a nanoscale metallic coating layer disposed on the particle core.
9 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 8 , wherein the metallic coating layer comprises Al, Zn, Mn, Mg, Mo, W, Cu, Fe, Si, Ca, Co, Ta, Re or Ni, or an oxide, carbide or nitride thereof, or a combination of any of the aforementioned materials, and wherein the metallic coating layer has a chemical composition and the particle core material has a chemical composition that is different than the chemical composition of the metallic coating material.
10 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 7 , wherein at least a portion of the corrodible particles are in touching contact with one another.
11 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein the removable material comprises a sintered or unsintered powder compact disposed on the base material.
12 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of corrodible metal powder particles comprise a sintered or unsintered powder compact disposed within the base material.
13 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein the removable material comprises a powder compact having a shape and comprising a plurality of corrodible metal powder particles disposed within the base material, wherein the powder compact is substantially enclosed within the base material.
14 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein upon removal of the removable material, the modified article comprises a substantially closed cavity having a shape corresponding to the shape of the powder compact.
15 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein the modified article comprises a surface having predetermined surface texture, and wherein the surface texture comprises a friction control surface.
16 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 4 , wherein the porosity in the wall section defines a screen, filter or porous barrier.
17 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein the base material comprises a cross-linked polymer and the removable material comprises a salt.
18 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 17 , wherein the cross-linked polymer comprises cross-linked polyethersulfone and the salt comprises an inorganic salt or an organic salt.
19 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 17 , wherein the base article comprises an open cell network of cell walls comprising the cross-linked polymer, and wherein the salt is disposed within the cell walls.
20 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein the modified article comprises an open cell foam of the cross-linked polymer.
21 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein the base material comprises a concrete and the removable material comprises a plurality of corrodible metal powder particles dispersed within the concrete.
22 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 1 , wherein the modified article comprises a porous concrete comprising a plurality of dispersed pores corresponding to spaces previously occupied by the corrodible metal powder particles dispersed within the concrete.
23 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 22 , wherein the plurality of dispersed pores comprise an open cell network of interconnected pores dispersed dispersed within the concrete.
24 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 23 , wherein the modified article comprises a fluid permeable concrete.
25 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 21 , wherein the concrete comprises a cement and an aggregate.
26 . A reconfigurable downhole article, comprising:
a base article, the base article comprising a base material and a removable material, the removable material comprising a substantially-continuous, cellular nanomatrix comprising a nanomatrix material, a plurality of dispersed particles comprising a particle core material that comprises Mg, Al, Zn, Fe or Mn, or a combination thereof, dispersed in the cellular nanomatrix; and a bond layer extending throughout the cellular nanomatrix between the dispersed particles; and
a modified article comprising the base material, wherein the base article is configured for irreversible transformation to the modified article by removal of the removable material.
27 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 26 , wherein upon removal of the removable material, the modified article comprises at least one of a predetermined surface texture in the base material, a predetermined porosity in the base material or a substantially closed cavity in the base material that was not present in the base article.
28 . The reconfigurable downhole article of claim 26 , wherein the metallic coating layer comprises Al, Zn, Mn, Mg, Mo, W, Cu, Fe, Si, Ca, Co, Ta, Re or Ni, or an oxide, carbide or nitride thereof, or a combination of any of the aforementioned materials, and wherein the metallic coating layer has a chemical composition and the particle core material has a chemical composition that is different than the chemical composition of the metallic coating material.