Mechanical properties and microstructure characteristics of 2024-T351 aluminum alloy specimen subjected to paint removal by laser cleaning

In this work, the mechanical properties and microstructure characteristics of 2024-T351 aluminum alloy specimen subjected to paint removal by laser cleaning were explored. The measurement of surface microhardness and tensile properties of the samples were performed before and after laser cleaning. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to inspect the microstructural characteristics. Compared with the untreated sample, the results of experiment indicated that the surface microhardness and tensile strength of the specimen treated by laser clearing increased by 10.6% and 8.4%, respectively. Additionally, grain refinement and dislocation proliferation induced in the laser cleaning process have a critical contribution to enhancing the microhardness and tensile properties of 2024-T351 aluminum alloy.