Tensile property of a hot work tool steel prepared by biomimetic coupled laser remelting process with different laser input energies

► Biomimetic coupled laser remelting (BCLR) process. ► Good combination of strength and ductility in the BCLR-processed hot work tool steel. ► Explanation of tensile property improvement on basis of microstructural changes and stress transfer reinforcement. ► Laser input energy was selected through surface morphology of biomimetic units and tensile test of BCLR samples.