Laser surface cladding of SiC / Si3N4 on AA6061 aluminum alloy was carried out using a 2 kW CW Nd-YAG laser. Different ratios of SiC and Si3N4 powders were mixed and the layers were preplaced by the pasting. Subsequent laser surface melting of the layers gave a surface metal matrix composite (MMC). The microstructure, chemical compositions and phase identification of the modified layers were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD) respectively. Microhardness test and cavitation erosion test in 3.5% NaCl solution at 23 °C were also performed. Finally the cavitation erosion mechanisms of the LSC modified layers were studied by surface morphology analysis.

Topics
Thermodynamic states and processes, Alloys, Carbides, Chemical compounds, Composite materials, Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, Hardness, Phase identification, Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometers
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