Wavelength dependent laser material processing of ceramic materials

In the future, ceramic materials will find even more applications in aerospace, energy, and drive technology. Reasons for this are the comparatively low density and good long-term stability at high temperatures for applications for components exposed to high temperatures, e.g., of engines. By using increasing combustion temperatures through the use of ceramics increases the efficiency of modern drive systems [Ohnabe, Masaki, Onozuka, Miyahara, and Sasa, Compos. Part A Appl. Sci. Manuf. 30, 489-496 (1999)]. Despite the high interest of the aviation industry to increase the use of ceramic materials, the time- and energy-consuming classical production of these materials and the concomitant limiting factors in terms of shape and size are still a drawback [Krenkel, Ceramic Matrix Composites Fiber Reinforced Ceramics and their Applications (WIY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim, 2008)]. This paper follows a new approach to producing ceramic matrix composites (CMCs). The laser material deposition (LMD) and selective laser melting techniques were used to investigate the coupling of different laser wavelengths into ceramic materials. By combining different energy sources and utilizing wavelength-dependent energy coupling, the additive manufacturing application of ceramic materials to metallic substrates was tested. With the knowledge gained from wavelength-dependent energy coupling, the potential for the production of CMCs should be demonstrated by means of LMD.