High temperature high pressure seal for downhole chemical injection applications

1. An injection system comprising:

a fluid control member; and

a reciprocating member;

wherein the fluid control member is configured to form a carbon composite-to-metal seal with the reciprocating member in response to application of a compressive force;

the carbon composite comprising at least two carbon microstructures; and a binding phase disposed between the at least two carbon microstructures, the carbon microstructures having an aspect ratio of about 10 to about 500 and a thickness of about 1 to about 200 microns, the binding phase comprising a binder, the binder contains one or more of the following: SiO 2 ; Si; B; B 2 O 3 ; a binder metal; or an alloy of the binder metal, and

the binder metal comprising one or more of the following: aluminum; copper; titanium; nickel; tungsten; chromium; iron; manganese; zirconium; hafnium; vanadium; niobium; molybdenum; tin; bismuth; antimony; lead; cadmium; or selenium.

2. The injection system of claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to allow a fluid to flow pass the reciprocating member when the fluid control member is disengaged with the reciprocating member.

3. The injection system of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing member positioned adjacent the flow control member.

4. The injection system of claim 1 , wherein the binding phase comprises

a binder layer that comprises the binder; and

an interface layer bonding one of the at least two carbon microstructures to the binder layer,

the interface layer comprising one or more of the following: a C-metal bond; a C—B bond; a C—Si bond; a C—O—Si bond; a C—O-metal bond; or a metal carbon solution.

5. The injection system of claim 1 , wherein the carbon structures comprises graphite carbon structures.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the binding phase has a thickness of about 0.1 to about 100 microns.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the binding phase has thickness of about 1 to about 20 microns.

8. The injection system of claim 1 , wherein

the fluid control member comprises a carbon composite portion and a metal portion, and the carbon composite portion forms the carbon composite-to-metal seal with the reciprocating member.

9. The injection system of claim 8 , wherein the carbon composite portion has a tapered surface.

10. The injection system of claim 1 , wherein the carbon composite member and the reciprocating member further form a metal-to-metal seal.

11. The injection system of claim 10 , wherein

the flow control member comprises a carbon composite portion and a metal portion,

the carbon composite portion of the flow control member forms a carbon composite-to-metal seal with the reciprocating member, and

the metal portion of the flow control member forms a metal-to-metal seal with the reciprocating member.

12. The injection system of claim 10 , wherein

the flow control member is a metal part, and

the reciprocating member comprises a carbon composite portion and a metal portion,

the carbon composite portion and the metal portion of the reciprocating member forming a seal with the flow control member.

13. The injection system of claim 1 wherein the carbon composite further comprises a reinforcing element.

14. The injection system of claim 13 , wherein the reinforcing element is in the form of a powder, a fiber, a mesh, a filament, a brad, or a mat.

15. The injection system of claim 13 , wherein the reinforcing element comprises one or more of the following: a metal; a carbide; ceramics; or glass.

16. A method of injecting a chemical composition, the method comprising

injecting the chemical composition at a pressure sufficient to disengage a flow control member from a reciprocating member so that the chemical composition flows past the reciprocating member;

reducing or eliminating the pressure of the chemical composition;

engaging the flow control member with the reciprocating member to form a carbon composite-to-metal seal;

the carbon composite comprising at least two carbon microstructures, and a binding phase disposed between the at least two carbon microstructures, the carbon microstructures having an aspect ratio of about 10 to about 500 and a thickness of about 1 to about 200 microns, the binding phase comprising a binder, the binder one or more of the following: SiO 2 ; Si; B; B 2 O 3 ; a binder metal; or an alloy of the binder metal, and

the binder metal comprising one or more of the following: aluminum;

copper; titanium; nickel; tungsten; chromium; iron; manganese; zirconium; hafnium;

vanadium; niobium; molybdenum; tin; bismuth; antimony; lead; cadmium; or selenium.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein engaging the flow control member with the reciprocating member comprises applying a force to the flow control member via a biasing member disposed adjacent the flow control member.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the flow control member comprises a carbon composite portion and a metal portion, and the carbon composite portion forms the carbon composite-to-metal seal with the reciprocating member.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the flow control member and the reciprocating member further form a metal-to-metal seal.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein

the fluid control member is a metal part, and

the reciprocating member comprises a carbon composite portion and a metal portion,

the carbon composite portion and the metal portion of the reciprocating member forming a seal with the fluid control member.