US 11,946,128 B2
Remote laser desensitization systems and methods for desensitizing aluminum and other metal alloys
Yongfeng Lu, Lincoln, NE (US); Leimin Deng, Lincoln, NE (US); Chenfei Zhang, Qingdao (CN); Shiding Sun, Beijing (CN); and Lei Liu, Lincoln, NE (US)
Assigned to NUtech Ventures, Inc., Lincoln, NE (US)
Filed by NUtech Ventures, Lincoln, NE (US)
Filed on Feb. 28, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/804,616.
Application 16/804,616 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2018/048541, filed on Aug. 29, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/551,707, filed on Aug. 29, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0199724 A1, Jun. 25, 2020
Int. Cl. C22F 1/04 (2006.01)
CPC C22F 1/04 (2013.01) 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for remotely desensitizing a metal alloy, the method comprising:
exposing a surface of a metal alloy to a controlled scanning laser beam irradiation output by a laser and having an average laser output power over 10 W or an output laser pulse energy over 10 mJ;
wherein the surface of the metal alloy is exposed to the scanning laser beam irradiation directly or through a coating layer including a paint, a nonskid layer, or other coating layer(s);
wherein a distance between an output window of the laser beam irradiation and the metal alloy is between about 0.5 m to about 100 m; and
wherein the scanning laser beam irradiation is controlled to scan across a portion of the surface of the metal alloy comprising two or more locations and heat the portion of the metal alloy to reach an average temperature between a solvus temperature and a softening/annealing temperature of the metal alloy, and then using a local heating effect produced by the scanning laser beam irradiation to further dynamically and locally increase the temperature of a desired location in the metal alloy to desensitize the metal alloy.