Sealing system, method of manufacture thereof and articles comprising the same
View Patent ↗Disclosed herein is an apparatus for use downhole comprising an expandable component; a support member that has a selected corrosion rate; wherein the support member is disposed on the expandable component; where the support member comprises a plurality of particles fused together; the particles comprising a core comprising a first metal; and a first layer disposed upon the core; the first layer comprising a second metal; the first metal having a different corrosion potential from the second metal; the first layer comprising a third metal having a different corrosion potential from the first metal.
1. An apparatus for use downhole comprising:
an expandable component;
a support member that has a selected corrosion rate; wherein the support member is disposed on the expandable component; where the support member comprises:
a plurality of particles fused together; the particles comprising:
a core comprising a first metal; and
a first layer disposed upon the core; the first layer comprising a second metal; the first metal having a different corrosion potential from the second metal; the first layer comprising a third metal having a different corrosion potential from the first metal.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a first auxiliary electrode; the first auxiliary electrode being operative to reversibly contact the support member to change the corrosion rate.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , where the first metal is aluminum, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, nickel, cobalt, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , where the second metal is aluminum, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, nickel, cobalt, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 , where the first metal is magnesium.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second metal is aluminum.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the second metal has a metal oxide disposed thereon.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the third metal is nickel, zinc, copper, iron, cobalt, tungsten, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing metals.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , where the third metal is nickel.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 , where the first metal comprises about 85 to about 95 wt % of the total weight of the support member.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 , where the second metal comprises about 5 to about 15 wt % of the total weight of the support member.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 , where the third metal comprises about 0.01 parts per million to about 0.25 wt % of the total weight of the support member.
13. The apparatus of claim 2 , further comprising a second auxiliary electrode that reversibly contacts the support member.
14. The apparatus of claim 2 , where the first auxiliary electrode is anodic with respect to the support member.
15. The apparatus of claim 2 , where the second auxiliary electrode is cathodic with respect to the support member.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 , where the third metal has a different corrosion potential from the second metal.
17. A method comprising:
disposing upon a tube string, a sealing system; the sealing system comprising:
an auxiliary electrode, an expandable component and a support member;
wherein the support member comprises:
a plurality of particles fused together; wherein the particles comprise:
a core comprising a first metal; and
a first layer disposed upon the core; the first layer comprising a second metal and a third metal; the first metal having a different corrosion potential from the second metal;
introducing the tube string into a well; and
dissolving the support member.
18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising swelling the expandable component.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein a rate of dissolution of the support member is controlled.
20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising reversibly contacting the support member with the auxiliary electrode.
21. The method of claim 17 , where the expandable component comprises a shape memory alloy that returns to an original shape upon being subjected to a stimulus.
22. The method of claim 17 , where the expandable component comprises a shape memory open cell foam that returns to an original shape upon being subjected to a stimulus.