Water temperature as acoustic impedance control for efficient laser peening

Laser peening is a shock processing technology that shows great potential for enhancing the surface properties of metals. In the process of laser peening, a high-pressure shock wave can be obtained by covering the metal surface with a transparent overlay, which induces plasma confinement. The plasma confinement layer suppresses the expansion of laser-produced plasma to increase the shock wave pressure amplitude. The acoustic impedance of the plasma confinement layer is an influential factor for effective laser peening. In this study, to investigate the effect of controlling the acoustic impedance of water on laser peening, experiments were carried out by varying the water temperature. The results showed that in laser peening experiments, warm water with a temperature around 60 degrees C could significantly improve the mechanical performance of stainless steel, suggesting that a simple method has been developed for efficient laser peening.

Automated summary

By controlling the acoustic impedance of water in laser peening experiments, it was found that warm water around 60 degrees C could significantly improve the mechanical performance of stainless steel, indicating the development of a simple and efficient method for laser peening.