On-Demand Wettability via Combining fs Laser Surface Structuring and Thermal Post-Treatment

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Surface Engineering
• Laser-Based Manufacturing

Background:

• Laser surface texturing (LST) is a key surface modification technique offering enhanced material properties.
• Applications include reduced wear, improved friction, anti-fouling, and enhanced osseointegration.
• Industrial-scale LST requires further optimization for broader adoption.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the fabrication of various metal alloy surfaces using LST with consistent laser parameters.
• To compare the resulting surface patterns and properties across different metal alloys.
• To explore the influence of heat treatment on the wettability of textured surfaces.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of multiple metal alloy surfaces using identical laser parameters.
• Comparative analysis of surface patterns generated on different materials.
• Investigating wettability changes (hydrophilic to hydrophobic) after heat treatment at various temperatures.

Main Results:

• Successful fabrication of diverse surface patterns on different metal alloys using uniform laser settings.
• Demonstrated complete control over surface wettability, ranging from hydrophilic to hydrophobic states.
• Established a correlation between heat treatment temperature and resulting wettability characteristics.

Conclusions:

• LST offers a viable method for tailoring surface properties of metal alloys.
• The findings suggest potential for industrial optimization of LST processes.
• Precise control over wettability is achievable through LST and subsequent heat treatment.