Surface modification of type 18/8 stainless steel was carried out using a 3 kW CO2 laser with
continuous and pulse wave and with 25%, 50% & 70% overlapping. After laser surface modification, the
material was sensitized at 650ºC for 9 hours. The degree of sensitization (DOS) was determined by the
double loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation (DL-EPR) test and the susceptibility to
intergranular corrosion (IGC) was determined by practice B, A 262, ASTM. The DL-EPR value of base
material was 4.52 whereas on the laser modified surfaces it was in the range of 0.11 to 0.91. After the
IGC test, the microstructure was examined over the cross section of the sample which revealed much
less attack on laser melted side compared to the base material. X-ray diffraction revealed presence of
about 4% ferrite in the laser melted regions. As sensitization is mainly a grain boundary phenomena,
the nature of grain boundaries were examined by orientation imaging microscopy (OIM). The results
are discussed to explain the reasons for the low DL-EPR values on the laser melted surfaces. The
present study demonstrates a clear possibility of remarkable improvement in DOS and resistance to
IGC by laser surface modification.