Modification of the surface of silicon carbide parts by laser treatment for improving their tribological properties

Laser microstructuring of the surface can be used for improving tribological properties of materials. This trend suggests a laser treatment to create on the material’s surface microstructures with spatial selectivity of physical-mechanical properties, such as microhardness, friction factor, etc. The microstructuring of the external surface of gas-dynamic compactions is perspective. To increase the capacity of the practical use of it is expedient to enhanced functionality through the use of laser microstructuring of the more common laser systems with pulse durations in the millisecond range. A method of surface’s modification of silicon carbide details by laser treatment for improving their tribological properties has been developed. A material structure in the heat-affected zone after laser microstructuring has been studied. Evaluated the morphological changes of the treated surface after a repetitively pulsed laser exposure. It was established that the pulse-periodic laser exposure leads to the formation on the polished surface of the silicon carbide parts recesses are round to oval. Along with the formation of acyclic microrelief occurs modifying surface structure details. Under laser exposure on the surface of the ceramic material is a decomposition of silicon carbide and graphite to form a solid solution of carbon in silicon. Supposed to carry out the study of the tribological properties of the resulting structures.