Microstructural characterization and tribological behavior of Laser Furnace processed ceramic tiles

This paper presents, for the first time, the processing of commercial ceramic tiles by means of Laser Furnace (LF) technology and its influence on their microstructure and tribology. Commercial porcelain and white clay, partially fired ceramic tiles, were processed by this method in order to study the effect of the laser treatment and its potential to produce ceramic items on a large scale, under extreme surface temperature conditions. The microstructure and depth of the laser irradiated ceramic samples were studied by FESEM. EDX analyses were employed to study composition before and after the laser treatment. Surface roughness was determined using Confocal Microscopy, while hardness and tribological behavior were studied using Vickers indentations and a ball-on-flat apparatus, respectively.