The Influence of Laser Process Parameters on the Adhesion Strength between Electroless Copper and Carbon Fiber Composites Determined Using Response Surface Methodology

Abstract

Laser process technology provides a feasible method for directly manufacturing surface-metallized carbon fiber composites (CFCs); however, the laser’s process parameters strongly influence on the adhesion strength between electroless copper and CFCs. Here, a nanosecond ultraviolet laser was used to fabricate electroless copper on the surface of CFCs. In order to achieve good adhesion strength, four key process parameters, namely, the laser power, scanning line interval, scanning speed, and pulse frequency, were optimized experimentally using response surface methodology, and a central composite design was utilized to design the experiments. An analysis of variance was conducted to evaluate the adequacy and significance of the developed regression model. Also, the effect of the process parameters on the adhesion strength was determined. The numerical analysis indicated that the optimized laser power, scanning line interval, scanning speed, and pulse frequency were 5.5 W, 48.2 μm, 834.0 mm/s, and 69.5 kHz, respectively. A validation test confirmed that the predicted results were consistent with the actual values; thus, the developed mathematical model can adequately predict responses within the limits of the laser process parameters being used.

Editorial for the Special Issue on Laser Additive Manufacturing: Design, Materials, Processes, and Applications, 2nd Edition

“…Wang et al [ 28 ] use a nanosecond ultraviolet laser to study the effects of laser process parameters on the adhesion strength between electroless copper and CFCs. To achieve good adhesion strength, four key process parameters, namely, the laser power, scanning line interval, scanning speed, and pulse frequency, were optimized experimentally using response surface methodology, and a central composite design was utilized to design the experiments.…”

“…This Special Issue focuses on macro-advanced manufacturing (e.g., laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) [ 18 ], wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) [ 21 ]), but also on micro-advanced manufacturing (e.g., laser photochemical synthesis [ 19 ]). Furthermore, the process optimizations on the adhesion strength [ 28 ] and the mechanical properties [ 24 ] (in-process) and the influence of aging treatment regimens on the microstructure and mechanical properties [ 25 ] (post-process) were investigated.…”