What is claimed is:
1.
A method of dissolving a tool comprising:
exposing an outer surface of the tool to an environment reactive with the tool;
reacting the tool with the environment;
applying stress to the tool;
concentrating stress on the tool at stress risers in the outer surface; and
initiating fracturing the tool at the stress risers.
2.
The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1 further comprising
indenting the tool at the stress risers.
3.
The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1, wherein the applying stress
includes applying mechanical stress.
4.
The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1, wherein the applying stress
includes applying chemical force.
5.
The method of dissolving a tool of claim 1, further comprising
weakening the tool with the reacting the tool with the environment.
6.
A dissolvable tool comprising a body having at least one stress riser
configured to concentrate stress thereat to accelerate structural degradation of the
body through chemical reaction under applied stress within a reactive environment.
7.
The dissolvable tool of claim 6, wherein foreign matter is embedded in
the body and the foreign matter is at least partially exposed to a surface of the body.
8.
The dissolvable tool of claim 6, wherein the at least one stress riser is
an indentation in a surface of the body.
9.
The dissolvable tool of claim 8 wherein the indentation includes a
10.
The dissolvable tool of claim 9, wherein the vortex is an intersection of
vortex.
at least two surfaces.
11.
The dissolvable tool of claim 9, wherein the vortex is defined by a
12.
The dissolvable tool of claim 6, wherein the applied stress is due to
cone.
changes in pressure.
13.
The dissolvable tool of claim 6, wherein the applied stress is due to
pressure differential applied across a portion of the body.
14.
The dissolvable tool of claim 6, wherein the applied stress is due to
changes in temperature.
15.
The dissolvable tool of claim 6, wherein the applied stress is due to
hydrostatic pressure.
16.
The dissolvable tool of claim 6, wherein the dissolvable tool is a ball.
17.
The dissolvable tool of claim 6, wherein the body includes a shell
configured to provide structural integrity to the body.
18.
The dissolvable tool of claim 17, wherein the shell is hollow.
19.
The dissolvable tool of claim 17, wherein the shell surrounds a core of
material softer than a material of the shell.
20.
The dissolvable tool of claim 17, wherein the shell surrounds a
fluidized core.
21.
The dissolvable tool of claim 6, wherein at least a portion of the body
is made of a powder metal compact, 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 or Mn, or a combination thereof, dispersed in the cellular
nanomatrix; and
a solid –state bond layer extending throughout the cellular nanomatrix
between the dispersed particles.
22.
The dissolvable tool of claim 21, wherein the dispersed particles
comprise Mg-Zn, Mg-Zn, Mg-Al, Mg-Mn, Mg-Zn-Y, Mg-Al-Si or Mg-Al-Zn.
23.
The dissolvable tool of claim 21, wherein the dispersed particles have
an average particle size of about 5µm to about 300µm.
24.
The dissolvable tool of claim 21, wherein the dispersed particles have
an equiaxed particle shape.
25.
The dissolvable tool of claim 21, wherein the nanomatrix material
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 nanomatrix material has a chemical composition and the particle core
material has a chemical composition that is different than the chemical composition of
the nanomatrix material.
26.
The dissolvable tool of claim 21, wherein the cellular nanomatrix has
an average thickness of about 50nm to about 5000nm.