Wear behaviors of AISI 316L stainless steel with a gradient structured surface layer induced by laser shock peening

• Published in: Surface & coatings technology 2024-04, Vol.481, p.130608, Article 130608
• Main Authors: Luo, Kaiyu, Xu, Shengkai, Xu, Lujie, Xing, Yu, Zhang, Hongmei, Wang, Changyu, Lu, Jinzhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: AISI 316 L stainless steel; Gradient structured surface; Laser shock peening; Wear behavior
• ISSN: 0257-8972
• DOI: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2024.130608

A gradient structured (GS) surface layer was fabricated by laser shock peening (LSP) on an AISI 316 L stainless steel (SS), and its wear behavior was investigated. Results show that the GS layer contains ultrafine nanocrystalline, nanocrystalline, ultrafine grain and coarse sub-grain. The cross-sectional microhardness of GS 316 L SS showed a gradient, and the surface hardness reached 4.87 GPa, an increase of 70.99 %, resulting in a 41.4 % increase in wear resistance. The microstructure evolution after wear indicates that the surface structure of GS 316 L SS forms a hardened layer during wear, which in turn effectively resists the wear failure. [Display omitted] •Gradient structured (GS) surface layer was fabricated by LSP on AISI 316L SS.•LSP improves surface nanoindentation hardness by 47.75 %–70.99 %, resulting in the improved wear resistance by 44.4 %.•GS sample surface generates a hardened layer under the wear stress, which in turn effectively resists wear.