Abstract
Laser heat treatment was applied for desensitization in surface layer of sensitized Type304 stainless steel. Effect of laser heating condition on desensitization was investigated and heat flow by laser heating was calculated by computer simulation. Desensitization by laser heating depends on the maximum temperature of specimen surface in different power densities or beam diameters. The chromium distribution in the vicinity of grain boundary was calculated from the thermal cycles obtained by computer simulation, and the disappearance of chromium depleted zone coincided with desensitization data by laser heating. From these results, it has become clear that chromium depleted zone disappears in short time by laser heating at 1323K and above and laser heat treatment is effective for desensitization of sensitized stainless steel.
