Abstract: A method of treating a ceramic surface containing zirconia, whereby the ceramic surface is ablated by directing a laser beam with a diameter of 200-400 ?m produced by a CO2 laser with a pulse frequency of 1200-1800 Hz onto the ceramic surface, and a N2 assist gas is concurrently applied with a pressure of 550-650 KPa co-axially with the laser beam to form an ablated ceramic surface comprising microgrooves with ZrN present on a surface of the microgrooves, wherein the ablated ceramic surface has a higher surface hydrophobicity than the ceramic surface prior to the ablating.

Abstract: A method of treating a metallic surface comprising a copper alloy, such as phosphor bronze, whereby the metallic surface is ablated by directing a laser beam with a diameter of 200-400 ?m produced by a CO2 laser with a pulse frequency of 1200-1800 HZ onto the metallic surface, and a N2 assist gas is concurrently applied with a pressure of 550-650 KPa co-axially with the laser beam to form an ablated metallic surface comprising microgrooves with Cu3N present on a surface of the microgrooves, wherein the ablated metallic surface has a higher surface hydrophobicity than the metallic surface prior to the ablating.

Abstract: A method of treating a metallic surface comprising a copper alloy, such as phosphor bronze, whereby the metallic surface is ablated by directing a laser beam with a diameter of 200-400 ?m produced by a CO2 laser with a pulse frequency of 1200-1800 HZ onto the metallic surface, and a N2 assist gas is concurrently applied with a pressure of 550-650 KPa co-axially with the laser beam to form an ablated metallic surface comprising microgrooves with Cu3N present on a surface of the microgrooves, wherein the ablated metallic surface has a higher surface hydrophobicity than the metallic surface prior to the ablating.

Abstract: A method of treating a metallic surface comprising a copper alloy, such as phosphor bronze, whereby the metallic surface is ablated by directing a laser beam with a diameter of 200-400 ?m produced by a CO2 laser with a pulse frequency of 1200-1800 HZ onto the metallic surface, and a N2 assist gas is concurrently applied with a pressure of 550-650 KPa co-axially with the laser beam to form an ablated metallic surface comprising microgrooves with Cu3N present on a surface of the microgrooves, wherein the ablated metallic surface has a higher surface hydrophobicity than the metallic surface prior to the ablating.

Abstract: A method of treating a ceramic surface containing zirconia, whereby the ceramic surface is ablated by directing a laser beam with a diameter of 200-400 ?m produced by a CO2 laser with a pulse frequency of 1200-1800 Hz onto the ceramic surface, and a N2 assist gas is concurrently applied with a pressure of 550-650 KPa co-axially with the laser beam to form an ablated ceramic surface comprising microgrooves with ZrN present on a surface of the microgrooves, wherein the ablated ceramic surface has a higher surface hydrophobicity than the ceramic surface prior to the ablating.

Abstract: A method of treating a ceramic surface containing zirconia, whereby the ceramic surface is ablated by directing a laser beam with a diameter of 200-400 ?m produced by a CO2 laser with a pulse frequency of 1200-1800 Hz onto the ceramic surface, and a N2 assist gas is concurrently applied with a pressure of 550-650 KPa co-axially with the laser beam to form an ablated ceramic surface comprising microgrooves with ZrN present on a surface of the microgrooves, wherein the ablated ceramic surface has a higher surface hydrophobicity than the ceramic surface prior to the ablating.

Abstract: A method of treating a ceramic surface containing zirconia, whereby the ceramic surface is ablated by directing a laser beam with a diameter of 200-400 ?m produced by a CO2 laser with a pulse frequency of 1200-1800 Hz onto the ceramic surface, and a N2 assist gas is concurrently applied with a pressure of 550-650 KPa co-axially with the laser beam to form an ablated ceramic surface comprising microgrooves with ZrN present on a surface of the microgrooves, wherein the ablated ceramic surface has a higher surface hydrophobicity than the ceramic surface prior to the ablating.

Abstract: A method of treating a metallic surface comprising a copper alloy, such as phosphor bronze, whereby the metallic surface is ablated by directing a laser beam with a diameter of 200-400 ?m produced by a CO2 laser with a pulse frequency of 1200-1800 HZ onto the metallic surface, and a N2 assist gas is concurrently applied with a pressure of 550-650 KPa co-axially with the laser beam to form an ablated metallic surface comprising microgrooves with Cu3N present on a surface of the microgrooves, wherein the ablated metallic surface has a higher surface hydrophobicity than the metallic surface prior to the ablating.

Abstract: A method of laser treating a zirconia surface can include surface texturing zirconia using a combination of ablation and melting. The method includes forming a carbon film on the zirconia surface and laser treating the carbon-coated zirconia surface. The carbon film can include titanium carbide (TiC) and boron carbide (B4C), for example. The carbon film can include titanium carbide (TiC) and boron carbide (B4C) in equal proportions. The carbon-coated surface can then be scanned with a nitrogen gas-assisted CO2 laser beam to form a laser-treated surface. The laser-treated surface can include ZrN compounds. The present method can enhance the surface properties of zirconia and improve the structural integrity of zirconia.

Abstract: The method of laser treating an alumina surface includes applying a coating of a phenolic resin including particles of titanium carbide (TiC) and boron carbide (B4C) to an alumina (Al2O3) surface to form a resin-coated alumina surface, heating the resin-coated alumina surface to form a carbon-coated alumina surface, and scanning the carbon-coated alumina surface a nitrogen gas-assisted CO2 laser beam to form a laser-treated surface. The particles of titanium carbide (TiC) and boron carbide (B4C) each have a diameter of about 350 nm.

Abstract: The laser nitriding method of making phosphor bronze with surface-embedded titanium carbide particles involves coating a cleaned phosphor bronze workpiece with a thin film formed of a carbonaceous layer mixed with nanosize particles of titanium carbide. The titanium carbide forms about 5 wt % of the thin film, and the phosphor bronze workpiece is composed of about 6.0 wt % tin, about 0.1 wt % phosphorous, and about 93.9 wt % copper. A laser beam is then scanned over the thin film formed on the phosphor bronze workpiece. Coaxially and simultaneously with the laser beam, a stream of nitrogen gas is sprayed on the thin film formed on the phosphor bronze workpiece in order to provide the workpiece with a nitride coating having nanoparticles of titanium carbide embedded therein.

Abstract: The thermoelectric module with bi-tapered thermoelectric pins is a semiconductor device configured as a thermoelectric power generator that has pins made of Bismuth Telluride that attach to a ceramic hot plate and a ceramic cold plate to form a thermoelectric module (TEM). The pins will include at least one N-doped pin and one P-doped pin. The bi-tapered pin structure of the TE pins exhibits low maximum thermal stress as predicted by thermal analysis, thereby maintaining thermal, electrical, and mechanical integrity of the TEM device.

Abstract: The method of laser surface treating pre-prepared zirconia surfaces provides for applying an organic resin in a thin, uniform film to a zirconia surface; maintaining the resin-coated zirconia surface in a controlled chamber at approximately 8 bar pressure at a temperature of approximately 175 degrees Centigrade for approximately 2 hours; heating the resin-coated zirconia surface to approximately 400 degrees Centigrade in an inert gas atmosphere, thereby converting the organic resin to carbon; and irradiating the carbon-coated zirconia surface with a laser beam while applying nitrogen under pressure, thereby forming a zirconium carbonitride coating.

Abstract: The method of laser treating Ti-6Al-4V to form surface compounds is a method of forming barrier layers on surfaces of Ti-6Al-4V workpieces. The Ti-6Al-4V workpiece is first cleaned and then a water-soluble phenolic resin is applied to at least one surface of the Ti-6Al-4V workpiece. The Ti-6Al-4V workpiece and the layer(s) of water soluble phenolic resin are then heated to carbonize the phenolic resin, thus forming a carbon film on the at least one surface. TiC particles are then inserted into the carbon film. Following the insertion of the TiC particles, a laser beam is scanned over the at least one surface of the Ti-6Al-4V workpiece. A stream of nitrogen gas is sprayed on the surface of the Ti-6Al-4V workpiece coaxially and simultaneously with the laser beam at a relatively high pressure, thus forming a barrier layer of TiCxN1-x, TiNx, Ti—C, and Ti2N compounds in the surface region.

Abstract: The method of nitriding nickel-chromium-based superalloys is a method of forming a nitride barrier layer on a surface of a nickel-chromium-based superalloy workpiece, such as an Inconel® 718 plate, using gas-assisted laser nitriding. The nickel-chromium-based superalloy workpiece is first cleaned, both with a chemical bath and then through an ultrasonic cleaning process. Following the cleaning of the workpiece, a laser beam is scanned over a surface of the nickel-chromium-based superalloy workpiece. A stream of nitrogen gas, which may be elemental nitrogen or nitrogen in the form of ammonia gas or the like, is sprayed on the surface of the nickel-chromium-based superalloy workpiece coaxially and simultaneously with the laser beam to form the nitride barrier layer.

Abstract: The method of laser surface treating pre-prepared zirconia surfaces provides for applying an organic resin in a thin, uniform film to a zirconia surface; maintaining the resin-coated zirconia surface in a controlled chamber at approximately 8 bar pressure at a temperature of approximately 175 degrees Centigrade for approximately 2 hours; heating the resin-coated zirconia surface to approximately 400 degrees Centigrade in an inert gas atmosphere, thereby converting the organic resin to carbon; and irradiating the carbon-coated zirconia surface with a laser beam while applying nitrogen under pressure, thereby forming a zirconium carbonitride coating.

Abstract: The method of modeling flexural characteristics of a bar subjected to local heating utilizes thermal diffusion equations and the finite element method to model vibrational frequency and amplitude variation in a substrate material subjected to local heating. Both heated and non-heated cases are considered.

Abstract: The method of modeling fluid flow over porous blocks utilizes heat transfer and fluid flow equations and a discretization numerical method to model heat transfer rates in a square cavity containing a pair of porous blocks. Fluid flow and heat transfer are modeled within a square cavity having an inlet and an outlet formed therethrough. The inlet and outlet are positioned opposite one another along a diagonal of the square cavity. A laminar airflow is introduced at the cavity inlet while a constant heat flux is maintained in the pair of porous blocks.

Abstract: The method of modeling phase changes due to laser pulse heating utilizes energy equations and a discretizing numerical method to model temperature variation and cavity depth in a substrate material due to laser heating. Both constant and temperature-dependent thermal properties cases are considered.

Abstract: The method of modeling residual stresses during laser cutting utilizes thermal diffusion and stress equations and a discretization numerical method to model temperature variation and residual stresses in a substrate material due to laser cutting therethrough of small-diameter holes.