Scribing of surface-braided CFRP with picosecond laser: Thermal damage formation and removal mechanism analysis

• Published in: Applied physics. A, Materials science & processing Vol. 130; no. 2
• Main Authors: Jiao, Hui, Lin, Ze, Zhang, Guanghui, Zhou, Jia, Huang, Yuxing, Long, Yuhong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.02.2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Ablation; Braiding; Carbon fiber reinforced plastics; Carbon fibers; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Condensed Matter Physics; Defects; Fiber lasers; Fiber pullout; Fiber reinforced polymers; Grooves; Heat affected zone; Laser damage; Laser processing; Lasers; Machines; Manufacturing; Nanotechnology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Process parameters; Processes; Short pulses; Surfaces and Interfaces; Thermodynamic efficiency; Thin Films; HAZ; Effective thermal efficiency; Combustion; Thermal penetration depth; Line energy
• ISSN: 0947-8396; 1432-0630
• DOI: 10.1007/s00339-023-07216-6

In the pursuit of mitigating or eradicating thermal damage defects during laser processing of carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP), the application of picosecond lasers with ultra-short pulse durations has emerged as a promising approach. Despite the adoption of picosecond lasers, the occurrence of thermal damage defects in CFRP processing persists. As a result, a more comprehensive comprehension of the mechanisms behind thermal damage formation and material removal in picosecond laser processing of CFRP is imperative. This study utilizes a picosecond laser at a wavelength of 532 nm to scribe the surface of braided CFRP. The focus is primarily on analyzing the mechanisms of thermal damage formation and material removal. Specifically, the effects of single-pulse energy density, line energy, and number of pulses in the spot range controlled by the process parameters on thermal damage and dimensional characteristics of the groove are evaluated. The results indicate that ablation, combustion and mechanical effects are the main forms of CFRP removal. Simultaneously, the groove also presents typical thermal damage defects as carbon fiber pull-out, heat-affected zone (HAZ), cracks, etc.. Furthermore, this study introduces a pioneering theoretical analysis of the effects of process parameter variations on effective thermal efficiency and the evolution of surface HAZ. This study contributes to the enhancement of the control capabilities against thermal damage in picosecond laser processing of CFRP, offering a crucial theoretical framework for further advancements in this domain.