Laser processing techniques for surface property enhancement: Focus on material advancement

The conventional techniques exhibit several limitations including weak bonding strength, shrinkage defects, micro-delamination and porosity, which duly have a synergistic effect on the hardness, microstructure, wettability and wear resistance. To overcome these limitations, various secondary treatments and coatings were employed on the surface of composites and alloys in recent years. Heat-affected zone, low coating adhesion, coating thickness, poor wettability, and high porosity at the interface are some of the drawbacks of conventional coatings and treatments. Researchers subdued these drawbacks using the laser techniques like laser hardening, remelting, glazing, alloying, cladding, shock peening and texturing. Each laser techniques have unique advantages and disadvantages, so it is important to address the influence of laser techniques on the most significant and influencing properties like hardness and wear resistance. Nonetheless, there is hardly any review article available specifically focussing on the influence of laser techniques on the hardness and wear resistance of various metals, alloys, polymers, composites and ceramics. Hence, the present article reviewed the laser techniques and their impact on improving hardness and wear resistance. We also discussed the parameters and importance of posttreatment techniques, which favour the hardness and wear resistance of laser-processed materials at various conditions.