| abstract |
A flux sheet ( 20 A) and method of using the flux sheet to restore a surface ( 24 ) of a metal substrate ( 26 ). A laser beam ( 32 ) is directed onto the flux sheet to melt it and the surface, then allowed to cool and solidify to produce a restored surface. The flux sheet may be formulated to optically transmit at least 40% of electromagnetic energy from a laser onto the substrate surface. The flux sheet contains a flux composition that may include: a metal oxide, a metal silicate, or both; a metal fluoride; and a metal carbonate. The flux composition may limit the content of certain elements and compounds such as Fe, Li 2 O, Na 2 O and K 2 O. The flux composition may include constituents providing air shielding, contaminant scavenging, viscosity/fluidity enhancement, and optical transmission of laser energy through the flux sheet. |