Efficient Enhancement of Corrosion Resistance in Steel by Fiber Lasers

Stainless steel is generally considered to be less prone to corrosion as compared to other steel varieties. Even then the corrosion, being a natural process as a result of interaction with the environment, does take place in steel. Annual losses resulting from corrosion in steel in industrialized countries are estimated in the range from 2% to 4% of the gross national product. An estimated 25–30% of the annual cost of corrosion can be avoided if optimum corrosion management practices are employed. One of the most effective methods for protecting the materials against corrosion is the laser treatment. CW and pulsed fiber lasers, as compared to other lasers, have been advantageously used to effectively enhance the corrosion resistance in various grades of steel, details of which are discussed in this paper.