Improving the Properties of Acrylic by Creating Crack Using Laser Beam

Abstract

The study investigates the improvement of the mechanical properties of the acrylic layer by creating a crack according to polynomial’s function by using the CO2- laser and without additives. The cracks were created by the laser at different powers and different speeds. The shape of the cracks was created according to six degree polynomial’s function by using CNC-laser machine. The study focused on the effects of creating an edge on both sides of the crack generated from the laser heat helping to change the microstructure on it to resist the failure crack growth. The study adopts a laser beam path according to equation g(x) to show the effect of the shape of the laser beam on improving the properties of the acrylic specimens. The experimental results have shown the effect of laser beam speed and laser beam power on the stress-strain. The experimental results shown increasing in the stress with average rate (12.25%) due to increasing laser beam power at (40, 50 and 60). The experimental results of specimens type (O and A4) shown improving in the stress at average rate (12.87%) and copmaring the experimental results of specimens type ( O, A5 and A6) has revealed an incresing in the tensile stress with average rate (14.088%).