Title: Laser welding of low friction nanostructured sintered composites: technical and environmental aspects

Authors: D. Savu, I. Ciupitu, V. Birdeanu, S. Savu

Addresses: University of Craiova, Calugareni 1, 220037 Dr. Tr. Severin, Romania; NRD Institute for Welding and Material Testing, Mihai Viteazu 30, 300222 Timisoara, Romania. ' University of Craiova, Calugareni 1, 220037 Dr. Tr. Severin, Romania. ' NRD Institute for Welding and Material Testing, Mihai Viteazu 30, 300222 Timisoara, Romania. ' University of Craiova, Calugareni 1, 220037 Dr. Tr. Severin, Romania

Abstract: Low friction materials in nanostructured sintered composites are used for different pairs of moving parts of MEMS configuration. The paper aims to present some elements regarding the behaviour of such type of materials in pulsed laser welding process. The influences that are developed during the interaction between the laser beam and the nanostructured composite have been analysed. Major instabilities have been observed and that involved a very accurate choosing of the laser power. The particles have been measured and visualised from the emitted fume by using special extractors that analysed the emitted gases as well. The particles were put in suspension and visualised by using nanosight microscope and they were measured by using a nanosizer. The analysis showed that they were in nanometric domain that meaning higher impact on the human health comparing to the welding of the classic materials, according to the OSHA.

Keywords: pulsed laser welding; low friction materials; sintered composites; fume emissions; nanostructures; nanotechnology; MEMS; microelectromechanical systems; human health; nanocomposites.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMMP.2010.035944

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties, 2010 Vol.5 No.2/3, pp.261 - 275

Published online: 10 Oct 2010 *

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