The impact of laser surface treatment on the microstructure, wear resistance and hardness of the AlMg5 aluminum alloy

Light metal alloys due to several unique properties such as low density and high corrosion resistance are increasingly used in various technical applications, where the automotive industry is one of the most important sectors. The automotive applications use mostly aluminum alloys, where the strength to density ratio of the material plays a crucial factor. Unfortunately, relatively low mechanical properties limit their applications for parts where a high surface hardness and wear resistance is expected. The classic heat treatment of aluminum alloys can only in some limited ranges improve the bulk material properties. Despite this, surface treatment with laser processing has developed significantly over the past 20 years. The laser beam treatment allows the introduction of a wide range of alloying elements to the surface layer of an aluminum alloy and thus, as a result of the precipitation of numerous intermetallic phases, significantly increases hardness, and abrasion resistance. The purpose of this work was to modify the aluminum surface layer using high-power fiber laser (HPFL). During this process, a mixture of titanium and iron powders (90/10 wt.%) was introduced onto the surface of the AlMg5 alloy. The microhardness tests carried out by the Vickers method and tribological tests showed a significant increase in mechanical properties in the entire volume of the obtained layer. Research on light and scanning microscopy revealed fragmentation of primary precipitates and the formation of numerous intermetallic phases rich in titanium and aluminum.