Yes. Any material you choose, assuming you first choose the right wavelength and power. Including rock, if you want to create an obsidian bubble in about 5 seconds with a 600-watt pulsed CO2 laser at half power.

I answered a very similar question soon time ago. But as it has come up again I'll give it a go.

About 5 years ago a British outfit designed and built a portable unit to clean steel, not only of rust but other surface contaminates. It used not only a fairly high powered laser but also a high efficiency particle filter. They marketed it to the oil refinery industry.

On first look it really was impressive. All of the surface contaminates and rust seemed to be removed.

Further inspection showed this Not to be true. It had formed a layer of what appeared to be like millscale on new hot rolled steel. This was proven to be the case. Any of you that have industrial coating experience will attest to the fact that coatings will not adhere to millscale and the scale needs to be mechanically removed by media blasting. And it was this media blasting the company was trying to eliminate.

So, yes it sort of removes rust.

Burning off oxide is kind if an oxymoron, if it is hot enough to remove FeO then it will leave new oxide that turn blue or black and even harder to weld to (unless you are in an argon chamber or something). 1 micron Laser is effective at cleaning organics, paint or scale than oxide. Navel jelly or abrasive wheels or elbow grease are probably a better technique if you don’t have a bead blaster or wire wheel. It would be great idea, but hard to deliver light cone / focus line without a fiber hand-piece, which adds complexity and cost. If it did work, it would still be “painting with a small brush”.

Laser rust removal tools revolutionize cleaning by offering a precise, efficient, and environmentally friendly method for removing rust, paint, and contaminants from metal surfaces. Here’s how they stand out:

1. Precision and Non-Destructive Cleaning

• Laser cleaning selectively removes rust and dirt without damaging the underlying material.
• Unlike abrasive methods (sandblasting, grinding), it preserves the surface integrity.

2. Speed and Efficiency

• Faster than traditional methods, reducing labor and downtime.
• Can clean intricate surfaces where mechanical tools struggle.

3. Environmentally Friendly

• No chemicals or abrasives—eliminates hazardous waste.
• Generates minimal residue, only vaporizing rust into harmless dust.

4. Low Maintenance and Cost Savings

• No consumables like sand or chemicals—reducing long-term costs.
• Requires minimal maintenance compared to traditional methods.

5. Automation and Safety

• Can be robotic or handheld, improving workplace safety.
• Reduces operator fatigue compared to grinding or chemical treatments.

6. Wide Applications

• Used in automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, heritage restoration, and more.
• Suitable for delicate surfaces like antique restorations and precision machinery.

Conclusion

Laser rust removal is a game-changer, making cleaning safer, faster, and more cost-effective while reducing environmental impact.

If you can exhaust the toxic fumes, it can be done. Zinc coating will protect the laser cut edge because of galvanic protection. Protection of the edge is reduced, but you need to decide if it is enough to satisfy the customer.Galvanized Steel: Types, Uses, Benefits.

I found via web pictures what laser cut galvanized sheet appears; you probably need to include some clean up of charred edge afterwards…possibly with ceramic beads vibratory.

picture of 11 gauge galvanized sheet.(above)

Here is one of my favorite sites: Will drilled galvanized steel rust? https://www.finishing.com/244/91.shtml

The process begins with the equipment being cleaned in an ultrasonic bath containing a detergent solution. This solution loosens any dirt or grime stuck on the surface of your piece, allowing it to be wiped away by hand without damaging your piece's finish. Next, the surface is dried using compressed air or vacuums before being placed under high-powered lasers that remove any remaining contaminants from its surface using heat energy (the same way other methods like steam would).

The Laser-Cleaning Process

The laser-cleaning process begins with the laser being focused down to a very narrow beam. This allows it to be directed at tight spaces and get into crevices on precision equipment where dirt and grime can hide.

Next, the laser beam is directed at the contamination on your equipment that needs cleaning. Using heat from the beam, this filth evaporates without damaging any components of your machine or leaving any residue behind (more on how this works below).

The last step in this process is using air movement systems to ensure all dirt particles are removed from delicate parts like lenses or mirrors before they are cleaned with solvents such as alcohol or acetone

First, the laser is focused down to a very narrow beam.

First, the laser is focused down to a very narrow beam. The beam is pointed at the surface containing the coating. The laser beam heats up that coating and vaporizes it from its container.

The beam is pointed at the surface containing the coating.

The beam is pointed at the surface containing the coating. The beam is focused to a narrow spot on the surface, which has been selected by an operator using a control panel on the machine or computer system controlling it. This small area of intense light energy is small enough to reach all parts of your part including areas inside components as small as one cubic millimeter in size. In fact, you can use our laser cleaning service for anything from very small items like bearings, springs and pins to larger items like actuation levers and wear plates within machines that require precision cleaning.

The high energy density of the beam results in ionization of the air near the surface. This is known as a plasma.

The high energy density of the beam results in ionization of the air near the surface. This is known as a plasma.

The laser creates plasma by breaking molecules into ions and electrons through selective photodisassociation and photofission reactions, respectively. These reactions occur when an intense light source breaks apart molecules or atoms by exciting them to such high energies that they break apart into elemental components, leaving behind nothing but charged particles.

In areas with a high concentration of contaminants, more material will vaporize resulting in higher concentrations of plasma. This can be observed as sparks or tinging sound on areas with excess grime.

The laser beam is focused down to a very narrow beam. The beam is pointed at the surface containing the coating.

The high energy density of the beam results in ionization of the air near the surface, creating plasma with an electric field around it. An electrical current flows from this plasma along and into your precision equipment, removing contaminants as it goes.

The expanded plasma locally heats and expands, projecting debris away from the surface, removing it.

The expanded plasma locally heats and expands, projecting debris away from the surface, removing it. This process occurs without affecting the surface of the equipment. Laser cleaning is not a chemical process and there are no chemicals to clean up after laser cleaning is complete.

A laser removes grime by projecting it away through heating and expansion of air around it.

The laser cleans by heating and expanding the air around it. This results in a high-velocity stream of air that removes dirt by sweeping it away. The process is called ionization, since it creates charged particles in the air surrounding the cleaning area. These charged particles take on different levels of polarity depending on their position within the beam of light emitted by the laser, which is focused down to a very narrow beam with great precision.

When directed at an object coated with dust or grime, this ionized gas causes friction between itself and any contaminants found on its surface—which results in both their removal and their subsequent disintegration into smaller pieces!

Ultrasonic waves, travel in water or solvent and agitate the water and the object and clean them.

It does not damage the metal.

Ultrasonic cleaning is a process that uses ultrasound (usually from 20–40 kHz) to agitate a fluid. The ultrasound can be used with just water, but use of a solvent appropriate for the object to be cleaned and the type of soiling present enhances the effect. Cleaning normally lasts between three and six minutes, but can also exceed 20 minutes, depending on which object has to be cleaned.[1]

Ultrasonic cleaners are used to clean many different types of objects, including jewelry, scientific samples, lenses and other optical parts, watches, dental and surgical instruments, tools, coins, fountain pens, golf clubs, fishing reels, window blinds, firearm components, car fuel injectors, musical instruments, gramophone records, industrial machine parts and electronic equipment. They are used in many jewelry workshops, watchmakers' establishments, electronic repair workshops[2] and scientific labs.

For more info :

You don’t use just any laser that might cause splattering. You use a femtosecond laser that is both extremely powerful and very short in duration (femtoseconds). The intensity is such that is can break molecular bonds to the metal, ceramic, or whatever, leaves as a plasma gas. And due to the short duration it doesn’t generate much heat. Those lasers aren’t cheap, but if you want to make small, clean holes it’s the best process.

First, We need a couple of diagrams, and then I’ll explain:

(image source:demir karbon denge diyagramı : TEKNİK PORT)

(image source:Thin 15N20 - Great for kitchen knives)

So, in this example we are using mild steel, which, we will assume is pure, and so it consists of only 2 elements, carbon and steel. The first chart is a phase diagram of steel. Phase diagrams are a little bit tricky to understand, so let’s do it by way of an analogy.

(image source:Coffee Machines & Commercial Coffee Machine Suppliers, Illy & Gaggia Coffee Makers)

If you have ever had a gas station slushee(like dispensed above), you may have noticed that they fill the machine with liquid, and allow it to freeze while stirring it. You will have also probably noticed, that after awhile of drinking the slush, the slushee is not as sweet, and tastes more and more like ice. You see, a slushee is somewhat similar to steel. The sugar prevents the water from freezing, but some of the water freezes anyway, which makes the remaining syrup harder to freeze, so that the first ice crystals to form are quite watery, and they get progressively more flavorful, to the point the remaining syrup is thicker, and quite resistant to freezing. When you drink the liquid, the ice does not go up the straw as easily as the liquid, so you pull off more syrup than the watered down crystals, until most of the syrup is gone and it tastes watered down.

With steel, the carbon and the iron freeze at different temperatures as well, and when liquid steel cools, the first crystals to form have more iron in them, while later crystals have more carbon, to the point you can get almost pure carbon, if you add enough of it.(This is why there is a transition between steel and cast iron on the first chart) The phase chart shows what mixes of slush you will get, based on what temperature, and amount of carbon present in your iron. The different colors on the first chart represent different types of slush, some of them with half syrup half water type mixes of iron and carbon, and some with the watered down iron only crystals floating in carbon “syrup”. As you can see, some mixes are only available at certain temperatures. This is similar to if you were to put your slushee into the freezer, how it would eventually freeze solid, and there would still be veins of highly concentrated sugar water, but it would no longer be syrup, as it would be frozen.

The second chart shows a method to trap the steel in a desirable state at lower temperatures. You may have seen a blacksmith in a Western dunk a horseshoe into a bucket of water after beating it into shape red hot. This not only cooled the steel, but also traps it in a stronger state, by allowing less carbon to escape into the “syrup”. (Think of stronger steel as a slushee that doesn’t get watered down after you drink it for awhile, because more of the flavor is in the ice crystals) To do this, you quench the steel, by cooling it rapidly. This freezes the syrup mixture, with equal amounts syrup and water, into crystals that are pretty much all also 50/50 mixed. (For steel, this is called martensite, and the water/syrup mix is called austenite)

So, what does this have to do with the heat affected zone of a laser cut piece?

Well, a laser beam from a fiber laser has a focused diameter of maybe .004″(.1016mm). When it fires into steel, it may instantly vaporize a small portion of steel, but a lot of the steel will be melted, and blown out of the kerf(cut path) by means of an assist gas. Because the steel isn’t instantly vaporized, the steel on either side of the cut will receive some heat, by means of thermal diffusion.(i.e. the heat transfers through the metal) Now, this extra heat can raise the temperature of the steel hot enough, that the preferred, 50–50 mix crystals now are able to start oozing some of their syrup out, or to put plainly, the carbon will start exiting the steel. You can see this temperature as a horizontal line on the second chart, and this temperature is known as the transition temperature.

So, the steel in the immediate area of the laser can now have slightly different type of slush from the rest of the steel. The distance from the laser beam/cut edge to the furthest away from the cut where the transition temperature was reached is known as the heat affected zone, and can have different properties from the rest of the sheet. Sometimes, if the sheet was of a medium hardness, the rapid heating and cooling of the steel can cause this edge to be harder and more brittle. This brittle edge can cause crack to form on a part. Other times, the edge will be softer, which is not good, for, say, a knife blade.

So, to know exactly what happens in the heat affected zone, you will need to know how hot the material became, how quickly it cooled, and what composition of steel/other metal it was. With these, you can use charts like the 2 above to calculate the exact properties you created along the edge of your piece.

An autocad drawing of the layout for cutting out the cutting out the blanks by leaving a minimum wastage of the sheet metal is first fed into the laser cutting machine. (this takes into account the minimum width of spacing to be maintained between two adjacent blanks along with the tolerance that the machine is capable of delivering as it also depends on the plate cutting capacity of the laser machine plate thickness wise. (the latest machines are capable of cutting upto 25mm as even upto 50mm thick plates) the cutting tolerance will also be dependent on the thickness of the plate being cut and is normally about 0.2mm for stainless steel plates upto about 3mm thick.

The machine cuts the material with a tiny laser beam penetrating the sheet, instantly burning out a cut in the plate due to intense heat. The area of operation is usually filled with argon gas or when a bright edge is not important, they use a cheaper gas like nitrogen where the edge is oxidized but can be easily mechanically or chemically polished off to a bright finish.

When Laser cutting, the laser acts as a heat source to liquify the metal. On its own, this could be used to cut, but it would be a slow and uneven process, as the liquid dripped away from the edge you tried to cut. To speed the process, an assist gas is used. This is a gas blown through a nozzle to push the molten metal out of the kerf (the area being cut away). This gas can also serve to add additional heat to the process to further speed cutting, by initiating an exothermic reaction.

(Image source: RDI Laser Blanking Systems)

Oxygen assist gas is used with Carbon Steel, as it initiates an exothermic reaction with the Carbon in the steel, requiring less gas and laser power for faster cutting performance. Oxygen is also used for cutting Copper, as the very reflective copper surface is rapidly oxidized and turns green at the cut zone, which prevents the reflection, allowing the laser to “bite” into the material better.

For many other materials like Aluminum, Stainless Steels, Plastics, and Wood, Nitrogen is used. It is considered somewhat non-reactive or minimally reactive in many of the cutting applications, and serves to cool the cut and create a nicer edge. Steel is also sometimes processed with Nitrogen albeit at slower speeds, because of the better edge quality.

Finally, some exotic materials like Titanium are processed using Argon as an assist gas. Argon, being a noble gas, is completely non reactive, with the trade off being a substantially greater price. (Sometimes Helium is used for this, but is even more exorbitantly expensive.) For processing Titanium, this is justified, because Titanium is so reactive when molten, that it can actually “burn” in pure Nitrogen (most other things require Oxygen to burn). When it is ignited, it can continue in a self sustaining reaction, becoming various Oxides and Nitrides, and the flame is not particularly visible. A sheet of Titanium could smolder for days and not be noticed until you try to move the sheet, and it crumbles.

Does ultrasonic cleaning damage metal? Yes, but so does leaving it caked in potentially corrosive cr*p. It is a matter of balancing the risk. Ultrasonic cleaning works by a process known as cavitation, which is the formation of microscopic bubbles on the surface which then collapse. Cavitation is a very energetic process, most often seen on boat propellers, which in serious cases will completely wear away the blades. Ultrasonic cleaning is not carried out for a long time & is not generally repeated. It is certainly more gentle than say abrasive cleaning but do not think it is completely non-destructive.

The laser cleaning technique uses nanosecond-long laser light pulses to clear a surface. When it comes into contact with impurities that absorb laser light, the contaminants or coating particles either convert into a gas, or the pressure of the encounter causes particles to fall off the surface.

Laser cleaning is unrivaled in its capacity to clean your product’s bare metal when used with the proper laser settings and equipment. Adapt laser specializes in the knowledge and implementation of this process solutions to create the perfect recipe for your circumstance. Once we’ve found the right combination of settings and equipment, we can apply it to different setups and get the job done while maintaining the integrity of the surface we’re cleaning.

Tips from the manufacturer of PRECISE laser cutting machines:

In modern manufacturing, laser cutting technology has become an important means of metal processing with its advantages of high precision, high speed and flexibility. However, not all metals are perfectly suitable for laser cutting. Today, I will tell you in detail about the metals that are most suitable for laser cutting.

Carbon steel

Carbon steel is a frequent visitor in the field of laser cutting. Low-carbon steel with a low carbon content is simply the "ideal partner" for laser cutting. During the cutting process, it has a smooth incision and a small heat-affected area, which can achieve very high cutting accuracy. For example, in automobile manufacturing, a large number of low-carbon steel parts are finely processed by laser cutting. The cutting effect of medium-carbon steel is also good, but compared with low-carbon steel, as the carbon content increases, some oxidation may occur during cutting, but by optimizing the cutting parameters, satisfactory cutting quality can still be obtained. Due to its high carbon content, high-carbon steel is prone to produce more slag during cutting, which requires higher cutting technology, but experienced operators and advanced equipment can also handle it.

Stainless steel

Stainless steel is widely used in various fields for its beautiful and corrosion-resistant properties, and it is also a suitable material for laser cutting. During the laser cutting process, stainless steel will not deform as easily as some metals. The surface quality after cutting is excellent, the finish is high, and there is no need for too many subsequent processing steps. Laser cutting of stainless steel is very common in industries such as kitchenware manufacturing and architectural decoration. For example, laser cutting can accurately achieve the design requirements for making exquisite stainless steel tableware and unique architectural decorative lines.

Aluminum alloy

Aluminum alloy has the characteristics of light weight and high strength, which is crucial in industries such as aerospace and automobile manufacturing. Aluminum alloy is also suitable for laser cutting. Due to its good thermal conductivity, it can quickly dissipate heat and reduce thermal deformation during laser cutting. Advanced laser cutting equipment can easily cut aluminum alloy plates of various thicknesses to meet different industrial needs. In the aviation field, laser cutting of aluminum alloy parts can ensure extremely high dimensional accuracy and provide protection for the safe flight of aircraft.

Copper and brass

Copper and brass have excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. Although they have high reflectivity to lasers, efficient cutting can also be achieved by selecting lasers with appropriate power and optimizing cutting processes. In the electronic and electrical manufacturing industry, copper and brass are often required to be finely cut to make various precision electronic components. The high precision of laser cutting can meet the strict requirements of dimensional tolerances for such products.

Laser cutting technology can play its greatest advantages on suitable metal materials. Metals such as carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, copper and brass provide a solid foundation for the widespread application of laser cutting technology. With the continuous advancement of science and technology, laser cutting technology will become more mature and bring more innovation and development to the manufacturing industry.

Metal laser cutting does not rely on pure laser power in cutting process. There is another factor that takes into play such as the wavelength of the laser. Somehow the shorter the laser wavelength, the finer the cutting. Fiber laser has 1064nm while CO2 laser has 10640nm wavelength. Certain metal does not react really well with 10640nm wavelength.

Assist gas is an important factor in multiplying cutting prowess and getting desired result. Oxygen assisted cut (OAC) is very effective method for laser cutting as Oxygen will react with metal and will ease the cutting process at drawback of blackened result. Nitrogen assist gas will effectively made the laser cutting weaker as nitrogen it is inert gas. Inert gas will however, prevent the material from oxidising therefore cutting using pure ablation.

At this moment, fiber laser cutting would be the best. It provides good cutting result and generally requires lower power compared to CO2 laser at same thickness and are generally produces finer cut.

500w Fiber Laser can cut 5mm steel with oxygen assist gas and around 2mm steel with nitrogen, while 150w CO2 laser can cut 1.2mm steel with oxygen assist gas and can’t cut any metal with nitrogen assist gas. You can see that actually the CO2 laser is making OAC process and the fiber laser is actually ablating the material.

Higher power CO2, while can rival fiber laser performance, is generally a lot more expensive to both operate and purchase.

LF1325 - Fiber Metal Laser Cutting

Although laser cutting machines have many advantages, they are not able to cut all materials.

Laser cutting machines belong to the category of metal cutting machines, which generally process metal materials, but cannot cut non-metallic materials such as stone or glass. Because the wavelength range of metal laser cutting machines is not within the absorption range of these materials, or is not suitable for absorption, the ideal cutting range cannot be achieved.

Secondly, for MDF: such as fiberboard, wood fiber, and plant fiber as raw materials, the cutting machine cannot cut it, because the laser cutting machine still uses a laser to cut the panel, and the cutting head will generate heat during operation. For the MDF material, in the process of processing, it is easy to cause the board to burn, burn and cut edges. Not only is it difficult to meet the cutting requirements, it will also damage the raw material.

Finally, pay attention to the cutting of some materials with high reflectivity, such as copper and aluminum. This type of material can be cut with a laser cutting machine, but the wavelength absorption of these materials for the laser is not in the ideal range, and it needs to rely on the assistance of gas to be better. of finished cutting.

When metal has rusted, throwing it away and buying a replacement isn't always an option. You can remove rust using household ingredients such as aluminum foil and a mild acid like white vinegar, or with special rust-removing chemicals. With any rust-removing method, it will take some patience and some elbow grease to remove the rust. But with some time and effort, you'll be able to remove rust from many metal surfaces.

Removing rust with ingredients from your home:

1. Use white vinegar. The vinegar reacts with the rust to dissolve it off of the metal. To use, soak the metal in white vinegar for a few hours and then scrub the rusty paste off.
2. Try a lime and salt. Sprinkle salt over the rusted area so that it is thoroughly coated and then juice a lime over the top. Use as much juice as you can get, and allow the mixture to set for 2-3 hours before scrubbing off.
3. Make a paste using baking soda. Mix baking soda with water until it is thick enough to spread on the metal. Allow time for it to set and then scrub off.
4. Try using a potato and dish soap. Cut the potato in half and cover the cut end in dish soap. This will make a chemical reaction with the rust, making it easier to remove. Place the potato on the metal and leave it for a few hours.
5. Use oxalic acid. Take protective precautions with this method––use rubber gloves, goggles and protective clothing. Do not smoke or directly inhale the fumes of the acid.

Yes that was one of the methods used to get rid of the nerve agent stockpiled by the US. But it's not like in Hollywood. In Lost in Space a laser simply had to hit the enemy monster of the week in the chest and the whole monster evaporated to nothing. You can still be left with chemical waste even after you've destroyed it with a laser. You have simply broken up the dangerous molecule into fragments and those fragments may still be a hazard. But they were greatly reduced.

The thing is there is nothing special about the laser that makes it preferable to other uses of electromagnetic radiation. You can tune a laser to Target one molecule if it has a unique frequency or absorption Spectrum. I even saw a demonstration at chalk River nuclear labs where a converted microwave oven was used to destroy by resonance either hydrogen sulfide or sulfur dioxide I can't remember which. The gas would pass through the chamber and sulfur would just fall out of the air like rain.. obviously if you stuck your hand in there it would gradually cook. But the sulfur gas just instantly disintegrated in the path of that particular frequency