Effect of Yb concentration on the microstructures,spectra, and laser performance of Yb: CaF2 transparent ceramics

Ytterbium-doped calcium fluoride transparent ceramics is considered as a promising laser gain medium. How to prepare low scattering loss ceramics is the main challenge at present. In this study, a simple route of hot-pressing method was introduced to fabricate high optical quality of Yb: CaF₂ laser ceramics with different concentration of Yb ions. The influence of Yb concentration on the particle sizes of the powders, microstructure, fluorescence spectra, output power, and laser emitting spectra of Yb: CaF₂ transparent ceramics was discussed. About 976 nm LD pumped CW laser operation has been demonstrated in 1, 2, 4, and 5 at.% Yb doped CaF₂ ceramics. A maximum average output power of 0.809 W was obtained for the 5 at.% Yb: CaF₂ ceramics with the slope efficiency was 26%.     

Effects of laser polishing on surface quality and mechanical properties of PLA parts built by fused deposition modeling

Fused deposition modeling (FDM) produces parts through layer by layer on the top of each other, making it almost impossible to obtain smooth printed parts. Hence, there is a huge demand for the postprocessing of the FDM-printed parts. Laser polishing is a novel technique that can be used to polish products to obtain a smoother surface. The aim of this work was to explore the feasibility of surface-finishing FDM-printed polylactic acid (PLA) parts by laser polishing. The surface roughness, surface morphology, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and tensile properties were investigated. The results indicated that the lower laser power and the bigger laser beam diameter within a certain range could facilitate the formation of smoother surface. With optimized parameters, the surface roughness was reduced by 90.4%. DMA showed that the storage modulus (E’) and glass transition temperature of PLA specimens were significantly improved due to the decrease of molecular mobility of denser structures. Moreover, the tensile strength and Young's modulus of the PLA specimen were also significantly increased after laser polishing. The fracture morphologies were observed, and the possible strengthening mechanism was also discussed. These results indicated that laser polishing could be an efficient method for surface polishing of FDM parts. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48288.     

工艺参数对尼龙6选择性激光烧结制件致密度的影响

针对高性能聚合物尼龙6材料的选择性激光烧结(SLS)工艺,研究了不同激光功率与扫描速度对成型件致密度的影响并进行了工艺优化。实验中激光功率10~50 W,扫描速度1 000~5 000 mm/s,其他工艺参数保持恒定。引入能量密度对激光功率与扫描速度的综合作用进行研究。结果表明:随着激光功率的增加或扫描速度的增大,制件的致密度呈现先增大后减小的趋势;随着能量密度的增加,制件的致密度呈现先增大后减小的趋势。在不同工艺参数下,获得制件的最大致密度为86.74%,此时激光功率为30 W,扫描速度为2 000mm/s,能量密度为0.043 J/mm^2。选定致密度为衡量指标,通过响应面回归分析模型建立了激光功率、扫描速度与致密度的优选工艺图谱,得到最优的工艺参数为激光功率45 W,扫描速度3 465 mm/s,此时预测的制件致密度为88.971%。     

激光熔覆碳化钛增强钛基复合涂层研究进展

钛合金具有密度低、比强度高、耐腐蚀性强等显著优点，在航空航天、海洋工程等领域具有广阔的应用前景。然而，钛合金硬度低、耐磨性差，严重制约其在摩擦工况下的使用寿命。激光熔覆技术具有生产效率高、热影响区窄、结合强度高、组织致密等优势，被广泛用于钛合金零部件表面改性和熔覆修复。高硬、高模量碳化钛的热物性参数与钛合金基材相近，常被选作激光熔覆钛基复合涂层的增强相，以提高其耐磨性。介绍了碳化钛的晶体结构、生长形态和性能特点。综述了碳化钛增强钛基激光熔覆材料体系以及工艺参数对熔覆层成形质量、宏观形貌和微观组织的影响。重点从碳化钛增强相的分布、数量、尺度以及相结构等方面，论述了碳化钛增强钛基激光熔覆层的组织特征，同时阐述了碳化钛强化机制，讨论了碳化钛增强钛基激光熔覆层组织特征与耐磨性能的内在关联性。最后提出了目前激光熔覆碳化钛增强钛基复合涂层研究中存在的问题与展望。     

钛表面激光熔覆NiCr-Ag复合涂层结构及空间摩擦学性能研究

利用激光熔覆技术在钛基材表面制备了NiCr-Ag复合涂层。用XRD、SEM和HRTEM分析了涂层的组成和组织结构,利用空间摩擦学系统对复合涂层在三种模拟空间环境(高真空、原子氧和紫外辐照)以及大气环境下的摩擦磨损性能进行了系统的研究。采用SEM和EDS对磨损后复合涂层和对偶钢球的形貌和元素面分布进行了分析,揭示了复合涂层在模拟空间环境及大气环境下摩擦磨损失效机理。结果表明：复合涂层在大气环境条件下的摩擦磨损性能优于在三种模拟空间环境下的摩擦磨损性能；真空下的辐照对复合涂层的摩擦磨损性能有显著的影响,辐照会增加涂层表面氧化；复合涂层在高真空、原子氧和紫外辐照模拟空间环境下的磨损机理为较严重的粘着磨损、磨粒磨损和塑性变形,在大气环境条件下的磨损机理主要为磨粒磨损。     

Droplet-targeting laser hybrid indirect arc for additive manufacturing technology-A preliminary study

The contradiction between manufacturing accuracy and manufacturing efficiency is discussed in this paper.In order to solve this problem,a novel droplet-targeting laser hybrid indirect arc for additive manufacturing technology is proposed in which a couple of wires are melted using the alternating current with interwire indirect arc to achieve high deposition rate.On the other hand,droplets actively target the laser beam and detach from wire tip under the recoil pressure subjected to pulsed laser irradiating at desired position and with controlled mass for a precise bead forming.The process of alternative droplet growing at desired position are mathematically analyzed and then preliminary verified by experiment.By precisely controlling the wire feed speed and current frequency,the melting process at desired position and mass of wire is successfully obtained which is the fundamental for next-step for the droplet actively targeting laser.     

Corrosion Behavior of Selective Laser Melted AlSi10Mg Alloy in NaCl Solution and Its Dependence on Heat Treatment

This work investigates the corrosion behavior of AlSi10Mg alloy produced by selective laser melting (SLM) and the counterparts heat-treated at 450-550 °C in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. Electrochemical measurements and weight loss tests together with microstructural characterizations were conducted. The SLM-produced alloy displays a microstructure with a continuous network of Si particles, exhibiting superior corrosion behavior. After heat treatment, the Si particles are coarsened and isolated and Al matrix dissolves into their surrounding area, thereby degrading the corrosion resistance properties. Therefore, the corrosion resistance of AlSi10Mg alloy degrades with increasing the heat treatment temperature.     

选区激光熔化Al-Mg-Sc-Zr合金成形性及力学性能研究

通过选区激光熔化(SLM)技术制备Al-Mg-Sc-Zr铝合金，系统研究了不同工艺参数对铝合金粉末成形性以及不同时效处理条件对SLM成形样品组织和力学性能的影响。结果表明，在高激光功率和低激光扫描速度下，SLM成形样品的致密度较高。沿样品沉积方向可观察到熔池层层堆叠的显微组织，熔池边界和熔池内部均存在细小纳米颗粒。经不同温度时效处理后，样品的硬度和压缩屈服强度先增加后降低。SLM成形样品经400℃时效处理3 h后屈服强度达到最大值469±4 MPa。     

Viscoelastic behaviors and drying kinetics of different aqueous gelcasting systems for large Nd: YAG laser ceramics rods

Large and nondeforming Nd: YAG ceramic prepared by wet forming is of great importance as gain medium to obtain high-power solid-state lasers. However, it is difficult to achieve high-quality laser ceramics due to insufficiency of the in-depth understanding of transformation mechanism of gels viscoelasticity and effective control means during drying process. In this work, the rheological behaviors, viscoelastic characteristics, and mechanical strengths in classical acrylamide (AM) and novel Isobam (PIBM) gelcastings were systematically compared to explore the suitable route for the large-sized 2% Nd: YAG transparent ceramics with high aspect ratio (>10). AM system exhibited a higher complex viscosity (1.82 × 10⁵ Pa s), a shorter gel time (92.9 seconds), and a higher flexural strength (about 24.46 MPa) than PIBM system, and especially its ability to quickly gel was beneficial to the homogeneity of green body. In addition, the order of drying rates of wet gels in four drying media was observed as follows: 55℃ hot air> ethanol> solid desiccant> PEG-11000 and the moisture diffusion coefficients were calculated and simulated to offer the deep consideration of drying kinetics. The “ethanol + 55℃ hot air” was regarded as an effective composite drying method to eliminate defect and to achieve φ8 mm × 160 mm Nd: YAG ceramic with the in-line transmittance of 83% @1064 nm. Therefore, not only the cognition of gel process, but also the defects control strategy is proposed. More importantly, this work greatly promotes the application of wet forming and laser ceramics in high-power lasers.     

Effects of short carbon fiber on the macro-properties,mechanical performance and microstructure of SiSiC composite fabricated by selective laser sintering

Selective laser sintering was combined with reactive melt infiltration to fabricate SiSiC part, and the effects of carbon fiber (C_f) on the properties of the SLS green body, the carbonized and final SiSiC sample were investigated. Results show that the addition of an appropriate amount of C_f (1.59 wt%~2.97 wt%) can increase the bulk density and geometric precision of the sample at all stages, and improve the mechanical properties of green and carbonized samples. The main phases composed of the SiSiC composite were free Si, a-SiC, β-SiC, plus a very small amount of Al–Si alloy. With 1.59 wt% C_f addition, a relatively comprehensive favorable macro-properties of both the green sample and carbonized sample was achieved, and the homogeneous microstructure of the latter favored the decreased free Si content and increased β-SiC content of the final composite. The evolution mechanism of C_f added to the raw material is inferred to be the mutual diffusion of [C] and [Si] that occurred at the C_f/Si melt boundary leading to the formation of the siliconized C_f with relatively large diameter size (24.3 μm) and high aspect ratio (>30). Amorphous C, which derived from the pyrolysis of epoxy resin E12, undergone a dissolution-precipitation mechanism with the formation of fine-grain β-SiC.