Study on Friction and Wear Properties of Self-Lubricating Impregnated Diamond Bit Cutters

Abstract

To reduce the friction coefficient between impregnated diamond bit and rock, experiments on addition of graphite to the matrix material of bit cutters were conducted. The cutters were made up of diamond contained working layers and binding layers. The friction and wear properties of cutters and binding layers were investigated using a pin-on-disc friction & wear tester with granite as tribopair. The results showed that with addition of graphite, the hardness and friction coefficient of binding layer decreased, but its wear resistance increased; compared to cutters without graphite, those cutters containing graphite had lower wear loss and friction coefficient and their sliding wear process was much steadier, but diamond protrusion was still normal.