Abstract
Laser shock processing (LSP) is a surface treatment similar to shot peening, in which the compressive stresses in the material are created by laser-induced mechanical impacts. The tensions are of sufficient intensity to modify the microstructure and properties. In this paper, the laser pulses are generated with a power density of 5 to 8 GW/centimetres square with a neodymium laser. The glass laser is used to treat Al+SiC composite coatings, which were initially applied using the high-speed oxygen fuel spray technique. The laser-processed samples are prepared metallographically and examined for their microstructure with a scanning electron microscope. The latter is also used to investigate the surface morphology of laser-treated samples. Finally, the microhardness and the vibration wear resistance of the coatings are tested and compared with the data obtained for the samples in the sprayed state. Paper includes a German-language abstract.