ABSTRACT
This chapter shows that the growth in target absorptivity after a chemical reaction has been activated not only determines the efficiency of metal processing, but is also a phenomenon that can be used for a diagnosis of the surface chemical reaction kinetics, and for determining the optical constants of the reaction products. One peculiarity of laser oxidation and combustion of metals consists of the pronounced variation in the optical properties of the metal-oxide system during irradiation. The chapter provides two interesting effects that may occur with the development of different instabilities in the process of laser oxidation of metals. First, the synthesis of huge Cu2O and V2O5 single crystals with large surfaces. Second, for laser heating of vanadium, significant electromotive forces have been noticed in the metal-oxide system, the system being affected by complex dynamic transformations. The chapter also shows the inert gas blowing method can be successfully applied in conventional thermochemical studies.
