There is significant industrial interest in methods to improve the surface properties of cast iron. This paper describes investigations of laser treatments to enhance cast iron surfaces by alloying with the elements chromium, nickel or cobalt, or a cobalt/chromium mixture. The coatings achieved are of high integrity, low porosity and uniform in composition, microstructure and hardness. Alloyed surfaces have been subjected to corrosion testing in a range of acids and to wear and cavitation erosion in distilled and salt waters. The data show substantial improvements over those obtained from unalloyed material. Results are presented and discussed including the response of the microstructure to the testing environments.

Date Published: 1 October 1990
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 1276, CO2 Lasers and Applications II, (1 October 1990); doi: 10.1117/12.20561

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1276:
CO2 Lasers and Applications II
Hans Opower, Editor(s)