Use of Infrared Dyes for Transmission Laser Welding of Plastics

摘要

A technique has been developed for transmission laser welding plastics with infrared dye, creating a joint almost invisible to the human eye. In typical applications for laser welding of plastics, carbon black would be used as the absorbing medium for the laser energy. This new approach enables two similar clear (or coloured) plastics to be joined with a minimal mark weld line. A number of dyes have been selected and assessed in terms of strength of light absorption at 1064nm wavelength with an Nd:YAG laser, as well as their visible light absorption. Lap welds have been made in clear PMMA using the infrared dye mixed into methyl methacrylate film as an absorbing medium at the interface between the plastic sheets. The selection of the dyes and processing methods is discussed for the new technique.