Surface modification of sintered magnesium oxide (MgO) with chromium oxide (Cr2O3) by pulsed laser irradiation in air and liquids

Abstract

Surface modification of ceramic materials by laser irradiation is widely used as a non-contact, fast and thermally activated process to generate micro and nanostructures. The effects of liquids while surface modification by laser irradiation of ceramic materials under liquid environment are least explored so far. This study reports the effects of pulsed laser irradiation in air and liquids on the microstructure and morphologies of ceramic materials. Chromium oxide (Cr2O3) was mixed in different concentrations (3, 5 and 7% in weight) into magnesium oxide (MgO) matrix and was sintered at 1650 °C. The structure and morphology of the sintered ceramic pellets were characterized using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Presence of the spinel magnesium chromium oxide (MgCr2O4) was identified in these samples. For surface modification of these samples, laser irradiation is carried out in air and liquids (methanol, isopropyl alcohol and acetone) using 2 ns pulsed lasers (532 nm) of different pulse repetition rates and energies. The microstructure and morphologies of the samples after irradiation was analyzed and their crystalline structure and composition were maintained after laser irradiation. It was observed that the surface morphologies of the ceramic pellets were modified by laser irradiation as a combined effect of the medium (air/liquids), energy fluence and the concentration of the Cr2O3 in MgO. Our results show that pulsed laser irradiation especially in liquids is an effective technique for modifying surface morphology of ceramic materials.