Preparation of Laser Cladding Coating Undercooling Cu-based Alloy and Co on Non-equilibrium Solidification Structure

The effect of the gradient content of Co element on the solidification process of Cu-based alloy under deep under cooling conditions was explored.The non-equilibrium solidification structure of the under cooled alloy samples were analyzed.It is found that the rapidly solidified alloy has undergone twice grain refinement during the undercooling process.Characterization and significance of the maximum undercooling refinement structure of Cu60Ni35Co5 at T=253 K were analyzed.High-density defects were observed,such as dislocations,stacking faults networks,and twinning structures.The standard FCC diffraction pattern represents that it is still a single-phase structure.Based on the metallographic diagram,EBSD and TEM data analysis,it is illustrated that the occurrence of grain refinement under high undercooling is due to stress induced recrystallization.In addition,the laser cladding technology is used to coat Co-based alloy(Stellite12) coating on 304 stainless steel substrate;the microstructure of the coating cross-section was analyzed.It was found that the microstructure of the cross-section is presented as columnar crystals,planar crystals,and disordered growth direction,so that the coating has better hardness and wear resistance.By electrochemical corrosion of the substrate and coating,it can be seen that the Co and Cr elements present in the coating are more likely to form a dense passivation film,which improved the corrosion resistance of the coating.

Microstructure characteristics of Ni/WC composite cladding coatings

A multilayer tungsten carbide particle（WCp）-reinforced Ni-based alloy coating was fabricated on a steel substrate using vacuum cladding technology.The morphology,microstructure,and formation mechanism of the coating were studied and discussed in different zones.The microstructure morphology and phase composition were investigated by scanning electron microscopy,optical microscopy,X-ray diffraction,and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.In the results,the coating presents a dense and homogeneous microstructure with few pores and is free from cracks.The whole coating shows a multilayer structure,including composite,transition,fusion,and diffusion-affected layers.Metallurgical bonding was achieved between the coating and substrate because of the formation of the fusion and diffusion-affected layers.The Ni-based alloy is mainly composed of y-Ni solid solution with finely dispersed Cr7C3/Cr（23）C6,CrB,and Ni＋Ni3Si.WC particles in the composite layer distribute evenly in areas among initial Ni-based alloying particles,forming a special three-dimensional reticular microstructure.The macrohardness of the coating is HRC 55,which is remarkably improved compared to that of the substrate.The microhardness increases gradually from the substrate to the composite zone,whereas the microhardness remains almost unchanged in the transition and composite zones.

Preparation and properties of the Ni-Al/Fe-Al intermetallics composite coating produced by plasma cladding

A novel approach to produce an intermetallic composite coating was put forward.The microstructure,microhardness,and dry-sliding wear behavior of the composite coating were investigated using X-ray diffraction （XRD）,scanning electron microscopy （SEM）,energy dispersive spectrum （EDS） analysis,microhardness test,and ball-on-disc wear experiment.XRD results indicate that some new phases FeAl,Fe0.23Ni0.77Al,and Ni3Al exit in the composite coating with the Al2O3 addition.SEM results show that the coating is bonded with carbon steel metallurgically and exhibits typical rapid directional solidification structures.The Cr7C3 carbide and intermetallic compounds co-reinforced composite coating has a high average hardness and exhibits an excellent wear resistance under dry-sliding wear test compared with the Cr7C3 carbide-reinforced composite coating.The formation mechanism of the intermetallic compounds was also investigated.

WIDE-BAND LASER CLADDING: WEAR AND CORROSION RESISTANCE OF A Ni-BASED ALLOY

A novel wide-band laser cladding system, with high rate of cladding, has been developed in the present work. The system mainly consisted of a 5kW CO2 laser, an automatic powder feeder and a wide-band scanning rotative polygon mirror which can produce a linear or rectangular focused laser beam. Using this system, a Ni-Cr-Si-B alloy powder was cladded on the surface of type 321 austenitic stainless steel in order to improve its wear and corrosion resistance. The pitting corrosion, high temperature oxidation and wear tests were conducted in order to evaluate the properties of the laser cladded layer. The results demonstrated that the cladded layer can significantly improve the adhesive wear and pitting corrosion resistance of the substrate. Moreover, the cladded layer exhibited good oxidation resistance, which is almost the same as that of GMR-235D Ni-based superalloy.

Fracture Behaviour of Laser Clad Fe-and Ni-base Alloy Coatings on a Cast Iron under SEMI Loading

Laser cladding technique has been applied to renovate some partially-damaged (or worn) components with Fe, Ni, Co-base alloys, hence to improve their hardness values and wear resistance successfully in previous reports. But for some punching or shearing cast iron dies damaged or worn in automobile manufacture, the renovated surfaces also bear some impact loading. Therefore, a small-energy and multi-impact (SEMI) test was designed to investigate the fracture behaviour of renovated cast iron dies achieved by laser cladding of Fe and Ni-base alloys under SEMI loading to meet above requirement. observations show that the fracture took place in the substrate near to the substrate/coating interface rather than at the interface. The tempering temperature has a great influence on the cycles to fracture of laser-clad samples under SEMl loading, i.e. the low tempering temperature of 300℃ gives a maximum cycle to fracture, while a higher tempering temperature of 400℃ has a minimum. Furthermore, the fracture mechanism has also been discussed in present study

In situ synthesis of Fe-based alloy clad coatings containing TiB_2–TiN –(h-BN)

Fe-based alloy coatings containing TiB2–TiN –（h-BN） were synthesized in situ on Q235 steel substrates by a plasma cladding process using the powders of Fe901 alloy, Ti, and h-BN as raw materials. The effects of Ti/h-BN mass ratio on interfacial bonds between the coating and substrate along with the microstructures and microhardnesses of the coatings were investigated. The results show that the Ti/h-BN mass ratio is a vital factor in the formation of the coatings. Free h-BN can be introduced into the coatings by adding an excess amount of h-BN into the precursor. Decreases in the Ti/h-BN mass ratio improve the microstructural uniformity and compactness and enhance the interfacial bonds of the coatings. At a Ti/h-BN mass ratio of 10/20, the coating is free of cracks and micropores, and mainly consists of Fe-Cr, Fe3B, TiB2, TiN, Ti2N, TiB, FeN, FeB, Fe2B, and h-BN phases. Its average microhardness in the zone between 0.1–2.8 mm from the coating surface is about Hv0.2 551.5.

Fabrication of Fe–TiC–Al_2O_3 composites on the surface of steel using a TiO_2–Al–C–Fe combustion reaction induced by gas tungsten arc cladding

The aim of the present study was to fabricate Fe-TiC-Al2O3 composites on the surface of medium carbon steel.For this purpose,TiO2-3C and 3TiO2-4Al-3C-xFe（0 ≤ x ≤ 4.6 by mole） mixtures were pre-placed on the surface of a medium carbon steel plate.The mixtures and substrate were then melted using a gas tungsten arc cladding process.The results show that the martensite forms in the layer produced by the TiO2-3C mixture.However,ferrite-Fe3C-TiC phases are the main phases in the microstructure of the clad layer produced by the 3TiO2-4Al-3C mixture.The addition of Fe to the TiO2-4Al-3C reactants with the content from 0 to 20wt%increases the volume fraction of particles,and a composite containing approximately 9vol%TiC and A12O3 particles forms.This composite substantially improves the substrate hardness.The mechanism by which Fe particles enhance the TiC ＋ A12O3 volume fraction in the composite is determined.

Tribological properties of FeCoCrNiAlB_x high-entropy alloys coating prepared by laser cladding

FeCoCrNiA1Bx（x=0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75） coatings were prepared by laser cladding to study the effects of boron on the structure and properties of high-entropy alloys coatings. The microstructure, microhardness, and wear resistance properties of the samples were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, metallographic micro-hardness test, and friction wear test, respectively, and the mechanism of the wear behavior was also analyzed. The results showed that the high-entropy alloys consisted of BCC phase and eutectic structure, which contained FCC phase and M2B. With boron addition, the content of BCC phase increased while that of eutectic structure decreased. The wear resistance of the high-entropy coatings was considerably improved with increasing addition of horon, and accordingly, the FeCoCrNiAlB0.75 coating showed the best wear resistance.

Research on film thickness of conductive line formed by laser micro-fine cladding and flexibly direct writing technique

The conventional technology could not fulfill the rapidly growing need for fine conductive lines for its inherent limits. Therefore, in this study laser micro-fine cladding and flexibly direct writing technique is used to obtain conductive lines with high precision and reliability. In the case of different substrates and parameters, film thickness will be different. Film thickness directly influences the reliability and stability of conductive lines with exception of quality and running speed. Therefore, we focus on developing the optimal parameters for the different substrates to achieve expected film thickness and make conductive lines have good performance and quality.

Optical and mechanical properties of hollow-core fibers with cobweb cladding structure

This paper explores the possibility of realizing a hollow-core optical fiber, whose cladding is composed of cylindrical alternating layers of air and high-index material with supporting structure. The optical properties and the design criteria of the proposed fiber are evaluated by the compact two-dimensional （2D） finite-difference time-domain （FDTD） method. In particular, the influence of the number and width of supporting strips on the leakage loss of the fiber is investigated. Furthermore, the mechanical performances of the fiber are estimated by finite-element method, confirming that hollow-core fibers with a reasonable size and number of supporting strips are reliable.

10-W cladding-pumped fiber laser with single transverse mode output

A Yb-doped double-clad fiber laser is demonstrated with a measured power output of 10.6 W and a fundamental spatial mode. The optical-to-optical conversion efficiency is 44% and the slope efficiency is 86% closed to quantum efficiency of optical conversion. In our laser system, a D-shape (340 μm/400 μm) inner cladding Yb-doped fiber is used as the gain material within the Fabry-Perot cavity. Multimode diode pump radiation is injected into the cladding through an end facet of the composite fiber.

Laser multi-layer cladding on ZM6 magnesium base alloy

A pulsed Nd: YAG laser is used in multi-layer cladding on ZM6 Mg base alloys. The microstructure is studied with an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The composition within the layer was determined by electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). X-ray diffraction (XRD) was also used to investigate the phase of constitutes of the cladding zone. The results show that microstructure in solidified cladding layer changes much when treated by high energy laser beam. The microstructure of the ZM6 alloy consists of a-Mg and Mg9Nd, while the L-ZM6 of a-Mg, MggNd and a-Zr. The depth of the cladding is over 1 mm. Many fine particles were found to be distributed homogeneously throughout the matrix and the columnar grain grows along substrate.

Analysis and combined optimization of the cladding layer in out coupling-improved top emitting OLEDs

Within the associated framework of metal-dielectric films optics and the dual-metal-mirror microcavity structure, the effect of a cladding dielectric layer on the light outcoupling efficiency of the top emitting orgainic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) is analyzed. A combined evaluation followed by detailed design and optimization is proposed and described in detail. The analysis shows that this cladding layer affects the device’s outcoupling efficiency with three different extents as the thickness of the metal layer in the multilayer cathode varying. The simulation results give a reasonable agreement with former experiment results.

Low-loss amorphous Si waveguides with gradient refractive index cladding structure

Amorphous Si waveguides with gradient refractive index cladding structure are proposed and fabricated using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method.Compared with 6 dB/cm for ridge waveguide without gradient cladding,the propagation loss of the gradient cladding waveguides is less than 1 dB/cm with both TE and TM polarizations.

Effect of temperature on refractive index match of laser glass edge cladding

An Nd：glass disc requires an edge cladding to absorb the amplified spontaneous emission. The absorption is determined by reflections （R） from disc edges. R is primarily induced by the refractive index （n） mismatch. Thus, the temperature at the cladding interface increases due to absorption, and leads to the variation of n. In order to investigate the effect of temperature on the refractive index match, temperature coefficients （dn/dT） of the laser glass, adhesive polymer, and cladding glass are measured. The effect of temperature on the refractive index match is discussed. Results show that the indices match below 40 ℃.

Pulsed-pumped optical fiber amplifier

With the use of pulsed pumping, an optical fiber amplifier with all-fiber structure is developed based on the fused tapered fiber combiner and Yb^3＋-doped double cladding fiber （YDCF）. From the experimental results, 47-dBm peak power and 100-ns pulse duration are obtained when the repetition rate of pumping pulses is 100 Hz. The gain of the amplifier is up to 30 dB. It is shown that due to the use of pulsed pumping, pump light emits only when the signal light reaches the amplifier and thus the amplified spontaneous emission （ASE） is significantly suppressed.

High-power double-clad large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber laser

A high power double-clad ytterbium-doped large-mode-area photonic crystal fiber（LMA PCF）laser was demonstrated using a unique Fabry-Perot （F-P） continnous wave （CW） output power of 50 W at～L04μm with a slope efficiency of 76.3% is obtained, Single transverse mode operation is achieved without any thermal-optical problems, This laser has the potential for scaling to much higher output power.

All-fiber cascaded ytterbium-doped nanosecond pulsed amplifier

A cascaded ytterbium-doped all-fiber master oscillator power amplifier（MOPA） with 1064-nm pulsed laser is demonstrated,and it can produce up to 20-W average power and 0.1-mJ pulse energy at tunable repetition rates from 10 to 200 kHz.Two main difficulties of the all-fiber configuration are overcome：all fiber isolator and mode field adapter between single mode fiber（SMF） and double cladding fiber（DCF）. Gain saturation and nonlinear effect are analyzed theoretically,and the possibility of further power-scaling of this cascade scheme is predicted.

Research on optical fiber magnetic field sensors based on multi-mode fiber and spherical structure

A magnetic field sensor with a magnetic fluid(MF)-coated intermodal interferometer is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The interferometer is formed by sandwiching a segment of single mode fiber(SMF) between a segment of multi-mode fiber(MMF) and a spherical structure. It can be considered as a cascade of the traditional SMF-MMF-SMF structure and MMF-SMF-sphere structure. The transmission spectral characteristics change with the variation of applied magnetic field. The experimental results exhibit that the magnetic field sensitivities for wavelength and transmission loss are 0.047 nm/m T and 0.215 d B/m T for the interference dip around 1 535.36 nm. For the interference dip around 1548.41 nm,the sensitivities are 0.077 nm/m T and 0.243 d B/m T. Simultaneous measurement can be realized according to the different spectral responses.

Optical fiber magnetic field sensors with peanut-shape structure cascaded with LPFG

An optical fiber magnetic field sensor for the dual-parameter simultaneous measurement is proposed and demonstrated. The sensor head is constructed by a peanut-shape structure and long period fiber grating(LPFG) coated by magnetic fluid(MF). The external magnetic field intensity can be measured by the variation of characteristic wavelength(Dip1 and Dip2) in interference spectrum since the effective refractive index of MF changes with external magnetic field intensity. When the external magnetic field intensity changes from 0 mT to 20 mT, the magnetic field sensitivities of Dip1 and Dip2 are -0.064 nm/mT and -0.041 nm/mT, respectively. Experimental results show that the temperature sensitivities of the Dip1 and Dip2 are 0.233 nm/℃ and 0.186 nm/°C, respectively. Therefore, the simultaneous measurement of the magnetic field intensity and temperature is demonstrated based on the sensitive matrix. It has some potential applications in aerospace, environmental monitoring and medical sensing fields.