Mechanical Engineering Faculty Research

Title

Warm Laser Shock Peening Driven Nanostructures and Their Effects on Fatigue Performance in Aluminum Alloy 6160

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-2010

Abstract

Warm laser shock peening is an innovative manufacturing process that integrates laser shock peening and dynamic aging to improve materials' fatigue performance. Compared to traditional laser shock peening (LSP), warm laser shock peening (WLSP) – i.e., LSP at elevated temperatures – provides better performance in many aspects. WLSP can induce nanoscale precipitation and high density dislocation arrangement, resulting in higher surface strength and lower surface roughness than LSP, which are both beneficial for fatigue life improvement. Due to pinning of the dislocation structure by nanoscale precipitates – so-called dislocation pinning effects – the relaxation of residual stress and surfaces dislocation arrangement is significantly reduced. In this study, AA6061 alloy is used to evaluate the WLSP process. It is found that the fatigue life improvements after WLSP are not only caused by large compressive residual stress and high density dislocations but also by the higher stability of the residual stresses and surface strength during cyclic loading.

Publication Title

Advanced Engineering Materials

Volume

12

Issue

4

First Page

291

Last Page

297

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