Laser-assisted chemical cleaning of thin oxide films on carbon steel surfaces

Hyunkyu Lim; Dongsik Kim

doi:10.1117/12.540597

18 November 2003 Laser-assisted chemical cleaning of thin oxide films on carbon steel surfaces

Hyunkyu Lim, Dongsik Kim

Proceedings Volume 5063, Fourth International Symposium on Laser Precision Microfabrication; (2003) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.540597
Event: Fourth International Symposium on Laser Precision Microfabrication, 2003, Munich, Germany

Abstract

This paper introduces a novel laser chemical process for removing thin oxide films on low-carbon steel surfaces by combining laser-induced shock waves and chemical etching technique that is used in the conventional oxide-scale removal process. In the proposed process, a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser (wavelength 1064 nm, FWHM 6 ns) pulse is focused onto the liquid surface and subsequently induces optical breakdown in the acid solution, producing intense pressure waves. The pressure waves act as a non-contact oxide-film breaker and increases the removal rate. It has been demonstrated that the novel process leads to substantial enhancement of the oxide-film removal, compared with the conventional solvent-based cleaning technique. The removal rate has been measured quantitatively employing an optical microscope, a scanning electron microscope, and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Parametric study has been performed to reveal the effect of pressure pulse, laser pulse number, acid concentration, reaction time on the efficiency of scale removal. It is shown that the laser-assisted process can lower the acid concentration, with the cleaning efficiency unchanged or even improved. The results demonstrates a technical feasibility of utilizing the method for industrial applications that required enhanced scale-removal rate or reduced use of toxic chemicals.

Citation Download Citation

Hyunkyu Lim and Dongsik Kim "Laser-assisted chemical cleaning of thin oxide films on carbon steel surfaces", Proc. SPIE 5063, Fourth International Symposium on Laser Precision Microfabrication, (18 November 2003); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.540597

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