The use of laser surface melting to homogenize Fe-Al bronzes

Abstract

Laser surface melting has been used to homogenize the near-surface region of several Fe-AI bronzes. A continuous CO2 laser beam was focussed onto the sample surface while the samples moved at high velocities in order to produce melt stripes. The quenched regions were approximately 10/lm deep. In the case of the aluminum bronzes C-61 400 and C-62 400 iron-rich precipitates have been eliminated from the surface region. For C62 400 the pre-irradiation matrix is ~ -I-3'2, following laser processing, a single phase, presumably metastable/3, is formed in the quenched region. The aluminium bronze C-62 500 is not homogenized to the same degree as the C-61 400 or C-62 400. Sample analysis was carried out utilizing optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and scanning Auger microscopy.