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2624560 
Journal Article 
Laser cleaning of steel for paint removal 
Chen, GX; Kwee, TJ; Tan, KP; Choo, YS; Hong, MH 
2010 
Yes 
Applied Physics A
ISSN: 0947-8396
EISSN: 1432-0630 
101 
2 
249-253 
WOS:000283088600005 
Paint removal is an important part of steel processing for marine and offshore engineering. For centuries, a blasting techniques have been widely used for this surface preparation purpose. But conventional blasting always has intrinsic problems, such as noise, explosion risk, contaminant particles, vibration, and dust. In addition, processing wastes often cause environmental problems. In recent years, laser cleaning has attracted much research effort for its significant advantages, such as precise treatment, and high selectivity and flexibility in comparison with conventional cleaning techniques. In the present study, we use this environmentally friendly technique to overcome the problems of conventional blasting. Processed samples are examined with optical microscopes and other surface characterization tools. Experimental results show that laser cleaning can be a good alternative candidate to conventional blasting.