Multiple laser shock processing （LSP） impacts on microstructures and mechanical properties were investigated through morphological determinations and hardness testing. Microscopic results show that without equal channel angular pressing （ECAP）, the LSP-treated lamellar pearlite was transferred to irregular ferrite matrix and incompletely broken cementite particles. With ECAP, LSP leads to refinements of the equiaxed ferrite grain in ultrafine-grained microduplex structure from 400 to 150 nm, and the completely spheroidized cementite particles from 150 to 100 nm. Consequentially, enhancements of mechanical properties were found in strength, microhardness and elongations of samples consisting of lamellar pearlite and ultrafine-grained microduplex structure. After LSP, a mixture of quasi-cleavage and ductile fracture was formed, different from the typical quasi-cleavage fracture from the original lamellar pearlite and the ductile fracture of the microduplex structure.
Yi XiongTian-tian HeYan LuHan-sheng BaoYong LiFeng-zhang RenWei CaoAlex A. Volinsky
Surface microstructure and mechanical properties of pearlitic Fe–0.8%C(mass fraction) steel after laser shock processing(LSP) with different laser pulse energies were investigated by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),transmission electron microscopy(TEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD) and microhardness measurements.After LSP,the cementite lamellae were bent,kinked and broken into particles.Fragmentation and dissolution of the cementite lamellae were enhanced by increasing the laser pulse energy.Due to the dissolution of carbon atoms in the ferritic matrix,the lattice parameter of α-Fe increased.The grain size of the surface ferrite was refined,and the microstructure changed from lamellae to ultrafine micro-duplex structure(ferrite(α)+cementite(θ)) with higher laser pulse energy,accompanied by the residual stress and microhardness increase.
