[en] Laser surface heat treatment and laser nitriding processes were applied using selective surface modification techniques to investigate phase transformation, microstructural evolution, and surface hardening behaviors for two types of plastic injection mold steels, AISI 1045 and P21. During laser surface heat treatment, a 245% hardness increase compared to that of the base metal (290 HV) was achieved due to martensite transformation of the AISI 1045 steel. However, for the AISI P21 steel, hardness within the heat-treated zone was largely unchanged from that of the base metal (410 HV) despite being accompanied by martensite transformation. Compared to that of the base metal, this static hardness behavior of the heat treated P21 steel was due to coarsening of Cu particles induced by the laser irradiation. To overcome the static hardness behavior of P21 steel, laser nitriding was used. The laser-nitrided specimen (at 4500 J/mm heat input) was approximately 40% (577 HV) harder than the base metal (410 HV) and was highly correlated with nitride formation. Nitrogen successfully penetrated the surface of the specimen during laser irradiation and formed a nitrided layer mainly composed of an AlN phase. Thus, the surface hardening behavior of AISI P21 steel after laser nitriding could be largely attributed to the AlN phase development.

[en] Two-dimensional (2D) tungsten diselenide (WSe${}_2$)-based porous three-dimensional (3D) architecture is fabricated utilizing highly porous 3D alumina structures. The architecture is produced by combining a sol–gel process for fabricating porous 3D alumina and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) for the formation of WSe${}_2$. The gas-sensing performance of the porous 3D structure overcomes the limitations displayed by the gas response of a 2D WSe${}_2$-based gas sensor. This 2D nanomaterials-based porous 3D architecture is a promising approach for improving the gas response of sensing devices. (© 2019 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

[en] The effect of hardness on wear loss and wear behavior during fretting was studied. A high-power diode laser was used to achieve the surface hardening of a mold steel (AISI P20-improved) at temperatures of 1000 and 1200 °C. A hardness increment was detected in laser heat-treated specimens, which may be attributed to phase transformation from ferrite to martensite, influencing wear loss and fretting wear behavior. In the fretting test results, smaller wear scars and less wear loss were observed for laser heat-treated specimens in comparison to those of base metal. Moreover, relatively more stable friction coefficient profiles were obtained for the laser heat-treated specimens due to uniform contact characteristics at two contacting surfaces. The effectiveness of the proposed technique was verified by the morphology of the wear scars of the treated specimens, which had a smooth appearance and minor abrasion grooves.

[en] The influence of heat treatment on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and wear behaviors of stainless steel 316L (SS316L) produced via selective laser melting (SLM) was investigated. The fabricated SLM samples were subjected to two different heat treatments: a typical furnace-type heat treatment conducted at 1100 °C for 0.5 h and hot isostatic pressing performed at 1100 °C and 100 MPa for 1.5 h. High-density SLM samples with low porosities were obtained by increasing the laser power and decreasing the scan speed. The heat treatments of the fabricated SLM samples induced the removal of porosity, cellular microstructure, and dense dislocation structures with a slight increase in grain size. In terms of mechanical properties, the fabricated SLM samples exhibited similar hardness and tensile strength properties to those of the conventional SS316L, while a significantly lower elongation was evident. The heat treatments of the fabricated SLM samples improved elongation, while the surface hardness and tensile strength decreased owing to microstructural evolution. During the pin-on-disk test, the conventional SS316L and fabricated SLM sample exhibited similar wear resistance values, which decreased after the heat treatments of the fabricated SLM samples owing to the heat treatment-induced surface softening.