Morphological Analysis of Laser Surface Texturing Effect on AISI 430 Stainless Steel

Area of Science:

• Materials Science and Engineering
• Surface Engineering
• Manufacturing Technology

Background:

• Laser surface texturing (LST) creates micro-structures to enhance material properties.
• AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel offers a cost-effective, corrosion-resistant, and high-strength material choice.
• Optimizing surface micro-structures is crucial for applications like tribology, wetting, and adhesion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate novel micro-pattern designs (crater array, ellipse, octagonal) on AISI 430 stainless steel using LST.
• To analyze the influence of laser parameters on the morphology and thermal effects of the created micro-structures.
• To evaluate the suitability of different LST designs for specific applications, particularly hybrid welding.

Main Methods:

• Application of micro-patterns using high-precision nanosecond pulsed laser equipment.
• Morphological analysis via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM).
• Elemental analysis using Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX).

Main Results:

• Laser micro-patterning parameters significantly influence surface morphology, including groove depth and recast material formation.
• The concentric octagon LST design exhibited the highest amount of recast material.
• Elemental analysis of the octagon design revealed a notable absence of oxygen.

Conclusions:

• The morphology of laser-textured surfaces is highly dependent on the chosen pattern design and laser parameters.
• The concentric octagon LST design is recommended for preparing metal surfaces prior to hybrid welding.
• The absence of oxygen in the octagon pattern suggests potential for use in hybrid joining processes.