Effects of laser shock processing on mechanical properties and micro-structure of ANSI 304 austenitic stainless steel

The aim of this article is to address the effects of a single laser shock processing (LSP) impact on the nano-hardness, elastic modulus, residual stress and phase transformation of ANSI 304 austenitic stainless steel. Residual stress distribution of the LSP-shocked region is determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) with sin(2) psi method, and the micro-structural features in the near-surface layer are characterized by using cross-sectional optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). By comparing with the untreated samples, LSP can clearly improve nano-hardness, elastic modulus, and residual stress in the LSP-shocked region. The underlying enhancement mechanisms of LSP on nano-hardness, elastic modulus and residual stress of stainless steel ANSI 304 are also revealed. These studies may provide some important insights into surface modification for metal materials. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.