Publication: Effect of laser-based surface Modification on the morphology, Topography, interfacial Characteristics and failure modes in Fiber-metal laminates.
| datacite.subject.fos | oecd::Engineering and technology::Mechanical engineering::Aerospace engineering | |
| dc.contributor.author | Muhammad Adeel Khan | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-11-02T02:52:24Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2026-11-02T02:52:24Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2026-07 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Fiber–metal systems are increasingly used in aerospace, automotive, and marine structures due to their potential for weight reduction and improved mechanical performance. In such hybrid joints, metallic substrates are bonded to fiber-reinforced composite materials, allowing the complementary mechanical characteristics of both materials to contribute to overall structural efficiency. However, the integrity and durability of fiber–metal laminates are highly dependent on the condition of the metal–composite interface, making surface modification a critical factor in joint performance. Adhesive bonding is often used to join dissimilar materials as it provides uniform load transfer and avoids stress concentrations from mechanical fasteners. However, its performance is highly dependent on proper surface preparation and interfacial bonding. This study compares untextured surfaces with single and dual laser surface texturing (LST) to demonstrate how laser texturing enhances interfacial adhesion in Al6061/E-glass composite laminates. A nanosecond (1064 nm) pulsed fiber laser was used to fabricate square and grid textures with two hatch distance: 0.1mm, 0.2 mm on Al6061, while corresponding patterns were produced on E-glass composites at reduced power to prevent matrix degradation and fiber damage. The untextured configuration consisted of pristine Al6061 and composite laminates with peel-ply and Teflon imprints. Surface morphology was analyzed using SEM, optical, and confocal microscopy, and quantified by areal parameters (Sa, Sq, Ssk, Sku, Sdr). Laser texturing significantly modified the Al6061 surface topography, with the 0.1 mm grid texture xix exhibiting the highest roughness (Sa = 33.77 µm) and developed interfacial area ratio (Sdr = 390%), compared with square textures (Sa = 18–30 µm and Sdr = 123–246%). EDX confirmed oxygen enrichment (7.96 to 21.88 wt.%%) on laser-textured Al6061, while FTIR revealed polar functional groups on textured composites. Wettability tests indicated complete wetting (super-hydrophilic behaviour) on laser-textured Al6061 and higher contact angles (borderline hydrophobic behaviour) on composites due to roughness-induced Cassie–Baxter states. Single-lap shear tests demonstrated strength improvements of approximately 219% and 320% relative to the peel-ply and Teflon baseline joints, respectively. Among the single-side textured configurations, the 0.2 mm hatch spacing produced moderate surface roughness with square (Sa = 18 µm) and grid pattern (Sa = 30µm) and achieved higher bond strength, showing an improvement of approximately 22–33% compared to the 0.1 mm hatch spacing. Dual-sided texturing provided a further increase in bond strength of about 10% relative to single-sided texturing. In contrast, excessive laser power reduced bond strength by approximately 35% due to over-ablation of the composite surface. Overall, this study establishes how laser parameters (process) influence surface topography (structure), which subsequently determines joint strength (property) in Al6061/E-glass hybrid laminates. The work contributes new knowledge by systematically comparing intersecting and non-intersecting texture patterns, hatch spacing, and dual-surface texturing on interfacial adhesion. Furthermore, the developed response surface model enables prediction of groove morphology from laser processing parameters. The findings advance the understanding of laser-assisted surface engineering of hybrid metal composite joints and provide design guidelines for improving the bond performance of lightweight bonded structures. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://erepo.usm.my/handle/123456789/25304 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.title | Effect of laser-based surface Modification on the morphology, Topography, interfacial Characteristics and failure modes in Fiber-metal laminates. | |
| dc.type | Resource Types::text::thesis::doctoral thesis | |
| dspace.entity.type | Publication | |
| oairecerif.author.affiliation | Universiti Sains Malaysia |