Surface modification of 2017-T4 aluminium alloy by high power diode laser melting

摘要

Laser surface melting (LSM) using a high power diode laser was used to modify the surface of AA 2017-T4 alloy. The first part of this work concerns the applicability of diode laser to surface melting of the AA2017-T4 alloy. Irradiation conditions were varied to investigate the effect of process parameters on the treated surface. The results show that the application of diode laser makes treating the surface of this alloy possible. Microstructural characterisation of the bulk material and the remelted surface layer was performed using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The combination of the three techniques allows the identification of the intermetallic compounds - down to nanometre size - in the surface layer.