This article is aimed to study the effect of laser treatment of AISI 304 stainless steel on the corrosion resistance and chemical composition of the surface layer. The samples were irradiated using two quite different laser sources: IPG Yb:glass fibre laser (τ = 230 ns, λ = 1062 nm) and Trumpf TruMicro Series 2020 fiber laser (τ = 260 fs–20 ps, λ = 1030 nm) that is, in both the long and ultra-short pulse duration regime. It allowed the observation of completely different microstructures and chemical composition of the surface layer. In this study, the morphology of the samples was accessed using both Keyence digital microscope and Olympus Lext 5000 profilometer. The corrosion resistance was examined in 3% NaCl solution using both potentiodynamic measurement and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. In order to examine the change in chemical composition of the surface layer, the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study was performed. Results show that the use of a long laser pulse contributes to the formation of a thin, tight, rich in chromium passive layer, which significantly improves corrosion resistance in comparison to the reference sample. Different behaviour is observed after irradiation with an ultra-short pulse duration laser.

Laser-based technologies are extensively used for polymer surface patterning and/or texturing. Different micro- and nanostructures can be obtained thanks to a wide range of laser types and beam parameters. Cell behavior on various types of materials is an extensively investigated phenomenon in biomedical applications. Polymer topography such as height, diameter, and spacing of the patterning will cause different cell responses, which can also vary depending on the utilized cell types. Structurization can highly improve the biological performance of the material without any need for chemical modification. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of CO₂ laser irradiation of poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) thin films on the surface microhardness, roughness, wettability, and cytocompatibility. The conducted testing showed that CO₂ laser texturing of PLLA provides the ability to adjust the structural and physical properties of the PLLA surface to the requirements of the cells despite significant changes in the mechanical properties of the laser-treated surface polymer.

This study presents an analysis of the impact of the oxide layers, prepared utilizing fiber laser radiation (1062 nm) in ambient air with different process parameters, on the corrosion resistance of EN 5754 aluminum alloy. Due to both high corrosion resistance and high fatigue strength, a 5754 alloy is used, among others, in the marine, aerospace, automotive, and chemical industries. Nevertheless, it corrodes in aggressive environments (with high chloride ions concentration). The controlled delivery of laser radiation energy in the oxygen environment allows the formation of the oxide layer on the surface of the material. We have determined that it significantly affects the resistance of these materials to corrosion. As a result of laser irradiation, changes in the chemical structure of the surface layer (chemical composition as well as surface development) can be observed. It may exert both a positive and a negative consequence on the corrosion resistance. The electrochemical corrosion tests (potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy EIS) have been carried out in an aggressive environment (3% NaCl). Moreover, microscopic examination, chemical tests, and roughness were also performed. The study revealed that appropriate control of the laser process can significantly increase the original corrosion resistance of the 5754 aluminum alloy.

This article provides an overview of laser color marking of titanium based on annealing. The mechanism of the formation of oxide layers under the influence of laser radiation and the properties of these layers are discussed. Then, the most commonly used lasers for the creation of color oxide layers are listed. The results of the change in morphology and surface roughness are shown. After that, an overview of the surface composition analysis by means of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, and Raman techniques is presented. The layer thicknesses estimated by the ellipsometric, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy methods are given. The influence of the process parameters on the produced oxides is shown. The following sections present the results of corrosion, friction, and wear resistance. This work also summarizes the results of the research on the influence of the gas environment, wettability, and the ability to remove oxides. Finally, a section is devoted to explain about further work required in order to use this method commercially in the future.

This paper presents the impact of the initial surface finish of commonly used AISI 304 stainless steel on its corrosion resistance before and after being treated with laser radiation. Three distinct surface preparations were examined: brushed, 2B cold-rolled, and polished. All samples were irradiated using a Yb3+:glass laser system of nanosecond pulse duration in an air environment. As a result of laser irradiation, thin oxide layers were formed on the steel surface. Our previous work showed that these layers may significantly increase the corrosion resistance of cold-rolled stainless steel compared to untreated samples. This work expands upon these findings by exploring the effect of laser irradiation on brushed and polished surfaces, keeping the steel’s chemical composition the same so we could focus mainly on how the surface finish influences corrosion. The results demonstrate that the corrosion behavior is correlated with surface roughness and yet modified by laser-induced oxidation. For brushed and cold-rolled samples, the corrosion current density reached a minimum at a laser fluence of 40 J/cm2, corresponding to the highest polarization resistance. Meanwhile, polished samples (which have the lowest initial roughness) did not show much improvement after irradiation. The conducted studies showed a significant influence of surface roughness on corrosion and a change in this resistance as a result of laser annealing of the surface.