title: Microstructure and mechanical properties of surface treated cast titanium with Nd:YAG laser.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of laser surface treatment of cast titanium alloy on microstructure and mechanical properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dumbbell- and plate-shaped cast titanium specimens were prepared for mechanical testing and microstructure analysis. After the cast surfaces of each specimen were laser-treated using a dental Nd:YAG laser machine at 240 V and 300 V with and without argon gas shielding, tensile testing and microstructure analysis were conducted. Hardness depth profiles were also made from the cross-section of laser-treated cast specimens. Microstructural and chemical analysis were performed by means of the SEM, XRD, AES and WDS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of tensile testing and Vickers hardness depth profiling showed that laser treatment improved the mechanical properties. Bulk microstructure of as-cast titanium was mainly composed of α-grains with acicular and widmanstatten patterns. The laser melted zone was characterized by columnar beta grains. When the emission voltage of laser increased to 300V, a larger grain size was promoted. The XRD analysis indicated that the beta phase formation was clearly noticeable after laser surface treatment. Supplementary marked peaks of the TiO, TiO(2) and Ti(2)N were detected without argon gas shielding. When argon shielding gas was used, the presence of titanium oxide was significantly reduced and the peaks of titanium nitride disappeared.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Laser treatment on cast titanium surfaces showed significant enhancement of mechanical properties and modification of microstructures, and therefore could produce reliable titanium metal frameworks for dental prostheses.
authors.affiliation: CNRS, Université de Bordeaux, ICMCB, Pessac, France.
authors.forename: Angéline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Poulon-Quintin
authors.forename: Ikuya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Etsuko
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bertrand
mesh_terms: D001128:Argon / Q000737:chemistry; D003722:Dental Alloys / Q000737:chemistry*; D003735:Dental Casting Technique / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004548:Elasticity; D006244:Hardness; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D013057:Spectrum Analysis / Q000379:methods; D013499:Surface Properties; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry*; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D003722:Dental Alloys; D001128:Argon; D014025:Titanium