Surface treatments of Al2O3‐ceramics by CO2‐Lasers

Laser surface melting of porous and dense compact Al2O3 ceramics was studied by using a wide range of laser power densities and different preheating temperatures. Tendency for cracking and depth of melted zone were measured as a function of operating conditions. The experiments showed that grain growth in the laser treated zone could not be avoided but tendency for cracking was substantially reduced by optimizing laser parameters and preheating procedure. Surfaces of porous ceramic were successfully sealed by infrared laser light.