The use of laser surface modification in combined superplastic forming and diffusion bonding of metals

Combining superplastic forming/diffusion bonding (SPF/DB) with laser surface modification (remelting and cladding), provides a new approach to joining similar and dissimilar high-temperature metal materials. Sound surface layers with identical or similar microstructures and properties are gained at the intended bonding surfaces; and the solid state bonding of dissimilar alloys can be transformed into that of similar laser surface modified alloy layers. The new bonding approach is applied to the similar bonding of TiAl/TiAl alloys and the dissimilar bonding of TiAl/Ni (GH3044, K418) alloys, and diffusion bonding characteristics and mechanisms of laser surface modified alloys are studied systematically.