Comparison of Quantitative Changes after passing the Laser Beam through Polymeric Material

Tomas Bata University in Zlín, Faculty of Technology, Vavrečkova 275, 76001 Zlín, Czechia

^* Corresponding author: knedlova@utb.cz

Abstract

The article focuses on laser machining of various polymeric materials. Specifically, it examines the possibility of undesirable changes in these materials as, due to the concentrated energy of the laser beam, the heat of the material is also transferred to the material near the cutting point and hence to the heat of the cut. Although the polymeric materials do not have a high thermal conductivity, it can be expected that due to the elevated temperature, different structural or chemical changes may occur near the cutting edge. Some high-molecular substances begin to split into low-molecular-weight products, and depolymerisation or degradation of the may occur. All these changes may have a negative impact on the product performance. The “Infrared Vibrational Spectroscopy” and X-ray Diffraction Analysis” were selected for experimental machining and subsequent assessment of possible change in selected polymer materials.