Abstract Pure mechanical and thermo-mechanical laser
shock processing treatments have been carried out on an
AISI 316L stainless steel. Surface properties, mostly
mechanical and metallurgical modifications, were analysed
at different scales: a local scale using the nano-indentation
technique and AFM analysis, and a more macroscopic
scale, using microhardness, optical microscopy and residual
stress determinations. After a pure mechanical laserpeening
treatment, a significant improvement in the pitting
corrosion resistance (+0.1 V) was observed in 0.05 M
NaCl. This improvement was attributed to the combined
effects of compressive residual stresses and work-hardening,
and, in turn, to a mechano-electrochemical phenomenon
by which a modification of cathodic reactions occurs
during electrochemical tests. For the surface treated by
thermo-mechanical laser peening (combination of a surface
ablation and shock waves), a tendency for decreasing
resistance against pitting corrosion was shown, and attributed
to the processing-specific surface texture (ablation
craters), which made the material susceptible