Laser surface treatment of aluminum composite: surface characteristics

• Main Authors: Yilbas Bekir S., Toor Ihsan-ul-Haq, Malik Jahanzaib
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: De Gruyter 2016-09-01
• Series: Science and Engineering of Composite Materials
• Subjects: aluminum composite; corrosion resistance; friction coefficient; laser
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1515/secm-2014-0108

Laser treatment of an aluminum composite surface was carried out to improve tribological properties and corrosion resistance at the surface. The workpiece consists of 15% SiC and pure aluminum, and it is produced by hot pressing. The characteristics of the laser-treated surface were examined using optical and scanning electron microscopes, energy dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, a micro-tribometer, and a potentiostat. Laser treatment was carried out by following a spiral scanning track at the surface. This provides a self-annealing effect of the lately formed laser tracks on the initially formed tracks while lowering the cooling rates at the surface. It was found that laser-treated surfaces are free from asperities such as large-scale cracks and voids. Laser treatment improves the hardness of the surface because of the dense layer formation in the surface region. The friction coefficient of the laser-treated surface attains lower values than that corresponding to the untreated surface. Laser treatment improves the corrosion resistance of the surface.