Effect of laser surface treatment on corrosion and wear resistance of ACM720 Mg alloy

A creep resistant Mg alloy ACM720 was subjected to laser surface treatment using Nd:YAG laser equipped with a fiber optics beam delivery system in argon atmosphere. This treatment was found to be beneficial for the corrosion and wear resistance of the alloy. Long-term linear polarization resistance and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy measurements confirmed that the polarization resistance values of laser surface treated alloy were twice as high as that for the untreated alloy. The improved corrosion resistance was attributed to the absence of the second phase Al2Ca at the grain boundary, microstructural refinement and extended solid solubility, particularly of Al, in α-Mg matrix owing to rapid solidification. The laser treatment also increased surface hardness two times and reduced the wear rate considerably due to grain refinement and solid solution strengthening.