An extraordinary-performance gradient nanostructured Hadfield manganese steel containing multi-phase nanocrystalline-amorphous core-shell surface layer by laser surface processing

Reducing grain size(i.e.increasing the fraction of grain boundaries)could effectively strengthen nanograined metals but inevitably sacrifices the ductility and possibly causes a strengthening-softening transition below a critical grain size.In this work,a facile laser surface remelting-based technique was employed and optimized to fabricate a∼600μm-thick heterogeneous gradient nanostructured layer on an austenitic Hadfield manganese steel,in which the average grain size is gradually decreased from∼200μm in the matrix to only∼8 nm in the nanocrystalline-amorphous core-shell topmost surface.Atomic-scale microstructural characterizations dissected the gradient refinement processes along the gradient direction,i.e.transiting from the dislocations activities and twinning in sub-region to three kinds of martensitic transformations,and finally a multi-phase nanocrystalline-amorphous core-shell structural surface.Mechanical tests(e.g.nanoindentation,bulk-specimen tensile,and micro-pillar compression)were conducted along the gradient direction.It confirms a tensile strength of∼1055 MPa and ductility of∼10.5%in the laser-processed specimen.Particularly,the core-shell structural surface maintains ultra-strong(tensile strength of∼1.6 GPa,micro-pillar compressive strength of∼4 GPa at a strain of∼8%,and nanoindentation hardness of∼7.7 GPa)to overcome the potential strengthening-softening transition.Such significant strengthening effects are ascribed to the strength-ductility synergetic effects-induced extra work hardening ability in gradient nanostructure and the well-maintained dislocation activities inside extremely refined nanograins in the multi-phase nanocrystalline-amorphous core-shell structural surface,which are evidenced by atomic-scale observations and theoretical analysis.This study provides a unique hetero-nanostructure through a facile laser-related technique for extraordinary mechanical performance.

ACQUIREMENT AND COMPUTER PROCESSING OF 3-D SURFACE SHAPE DATA

The laser scanning and CCD image-transmitting measurement method and principle on acquiring 3-D curved surface shape data are discussed. Computer processing technique of 3-D curved surface shape(be called“ 3 - D surface shape”for short) data is analysed. This technique in- cludes these concrete methods and principles such as data smoothing, fitting, reconstructing ,elimi- nating and so on. The example and result about computer processing of 3- D surface shape data are given .

Laser ablation and structuring of CdZnTe with femtosecond laser pulses

We report an experimental investigation on laser ablation and associated surface structuring of CdZnTe by femtosecond Ti:Sa laser pulses(laser wavelengthλ≈800 nm,≈35 fs,10 Hz),in air.By exploiting different static irradiation conditions,the fluence threshold and the incubation effect in CdZnTe are estimated.Interestingly,surface treatment with a low laser fluence(laser pulse energy E≈5-10_μJ)and number of shots(5<N<50)show the formation of well-defined cracks in the central part of the shallow crater,which is likely associated to a different thermal expansion coefficients of Te inclusions and matrix during the sample heating and cooling processes ensuing femtosecond laser irradiation.Irradiation with a larger number of pulses(N≈500,1000)with higher pulse energies(E≈30-50μJ)results in the formation of welldefined laser-induced periodic surface structures(LIPSS)in the outskirts of the main crater,where the local fluence is well below the material ablation threshold.Both low spatial frequency and high spatial frequency LIPSS perpendicular to the laser polarization are found together and separately depending on the irradiation condition.These are ascribed to a process of progressive aggregation of randomly distributed nanoparticles produced during laser ablation of the deep crater in the region of the target irradiated by a fluence below the ablation threshold with many laser pulses.