Surface vitrification of alloys by laser surface treatment

With laser surface treatment (LST) method, the surfaces of Zr-, Cu-, Fe- and Al-based alloys were melted and amorphous or amorphous-crystalline composite structures were synthesized, which were related to the different glass-forming ability of the alloys. Influences of laser processing parameters on glass formation for Cu₆₀Zr₃₀Ti₁₀ alloy were investigated and the laser treated alloy exhibited a gradient structure: amorphous surface, amorphous-crystalline composites transitional region and crystalline substrate. Temperature distributions and thermal profiles of the treated Cu₆₀Zr₃₀Ti₁₀ alloy during the laser process were simulated using finite volume method. The formation mechanism of the gradient structure is discussed based on the experimental and simulated results.