I. Galvão

Material flow in heterogeneous friction stir welding of aluminium and copper thin sheets

Abstract The aim of this investigation was to study material flow during dissimilar friction stir welding of AA 5083-H111 to deoxidised high phosphorus copper plates of 1 mm thickness. The welds were performed using different tool geometries and welding parameters. The positions of the copper and aluminium plates, relative to the advancing and retreating sides of the tool, were also changed. It was found that the tool geometry and relative position of the plates deeply influence the morphology of the aluminium and copper flow interaction zones, influencing the distribution of both materials in the weld and the formation of intermetallic compounds. The material accumulated under the tool during welding was found as another important aspect determining weld morphology.

Formation and distribution of brittle structures in friction stir welding of aluminium and copper: influence of process parameters

Abstract Morphological, metallographic and structural analyses of aluminium–copper dissimilar welds produced under different friction stir welding conditions were conducted in order to analyse the mechanisms of intermetallic phases formation, its relation with welding conditions and its consequences in the weld structure and morphology. Under lower heat input conditions, only a thin intermetallic layer distributed along the aluminium/copper interface was depicted inside the nugget. Increasing the heat input promoted material mixing and formation of increasing amounts of intermetallic rich structures. The intermetallic phase content and the homogeneity of the mixed area increased with increasing heat input, evolving from structures containing Al, Cu, CuAl2 and Cu9Al4 to structures predominantly composed of Cu9Al4 and Cu(Al). In order to explain these results, the mechanisms of intermetallic phases formation are discussed, taking into account the process parameters and material flow mechanisms in friction stir welding. Important relations between intermetallic formation and weld surface morphology were also found.

Influence of Tool Offsetting on the Structure and Morphology of Dissimilar Aluminum to Copper Friction-Stir Welds

In this work, a systematic analysis of the effect of tool offsetting on the morphological, structural, and mechanical properties of 6082-T6 aluminum to copper-DHP friction-stir welds was performed, enabling full understanding of Al-Cu bonding structure and failure mechanisms. Important relations between tool positioning and the thermomechanical phenomena taking place during welding were established. Tool offsetting was revealed to be an effective way of solving one of the most important concerns in Al/Cu friction-stir welding, i.e., the formation of large amounts of intermetallic-rich structures, which deeply influence the final strength and surface morphology of the welds. Actually, for welds produced without tool offsetting, it was found that the formation of fluidized intermetallic-rich structures promote the formation of internal decohesion areas inside the nugget, which have a detrimental effect on weld strength. For welds carried out with tool offsetting, intermetallic formation is almost suppressed, but important metallurgical discontinuities in the vicinity of large copper fragments, dispersed over the nugget, and at the nugget/copper interface were also found to have a detrimental effect on weld strength.

Critical review on friction stir welding of aluminium to copper

The status quo of aluminium-to-copper joining by friction stir welding (FSW) drastically changed in recent years, as a result of the increased interest of the scientific community on this subject. Actually, since 2006 a large increase in the number of research groups addressing Al–Cu FSW has been witnessed all over the world, together with a significant increase in the amount of published studies. A chronological perspective on the evolution in Al–Cu FSW research is provided in this work, highlighting the pioneer and original contribution of several researchers to the current knowledge on the subject. Detailed and comprehensive investigations on the material flow mechanisms, the phenomena governing the formation and distribution of intermetallic phases during Al–Cu FSW, their relations with the welding parameters and their impact on the morphological, structural and mechanical properties of the welds are thoroughly discussed. The main findings reported in the literature are summarised in thematic tables.

Influence of base material properties on copper and aluminium–copper explosive welds

ABSTRACT The influence of base material properties on the interfacial phenomena in copper and aluminium–copper explosive welds was studied. Two explosive mixtures with different detonation velocities were tested. Sound aluminium–copper joints with effective bonding were achieved by using an explosive mixture with a lower detonation velocity. High energy explosives led to extensive interfacial melting, preventing the production of consistent dissimilar welds. Unlike to the similar copper joints, the aluminium–copper welds presented very asymmetrical interfacial waves, rich in intermetallic phases and displaying a curled morphology. The interaction of the materials in dissimilar welding was found to be completely different depending on the positioning of each alloy in the joint, i.e. positioned as the flyer or as the baseplate.

Friction Stir Welding of very thin plates

The results obtained in present research, relative to friction stir welding of 1 mm thick plates of aluminium, copper, copper-zinc and zinc alloys, prove that the application of the process in the joining of very thin plates is feasible and desirable. In fact, independently of the base material, the welds produced presented very good morphological characteristics and significant grain refinement in the nugget. Tensile and hardness tests proved that all the welds were at least in even-match relative to the base material properties. Based on the AA 5182 aluminium alloy results it was also possible to conclude that augmenting the welding speed, which improves process productivity, increases grain refinement in the nugget, improving the mechanical properties of the welds.

Influence of Process Parameters on the Mechanical Enhancement of Copper-DHP by FSP

Friction Stir Processing (FSP) is an innovative solid-state processing technology, which is being currently used to enhance locally the mechanical properties of conventional materials. In this work, 1 and 3 mm-thick copper-DHP plates were processed with the aim of simulating surface (SFSP) and bulk (VFSP) processing. The influence of the processing conditions on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the processed materials was analyzed. It was found that the tool geometry, which has a close relation with the plastic deformation and dynamic recrystallization kinetics inside the stirred volume, the processing parameters and the heat exchange conditions, which determine the extent of dynamic recrystallization and annealing phenomenon, are determinant in FSP.

Analysis of weld defects in similar and dissimilar resistance seam welding of aluminium, zinc and galvanised steel

Abstract In the present investigation, a microstructural characterisation of welds performed by resistance seam welding was carried out, with special focus on weld defect analysis. In order to perform a comparative weldability analysis, the welds were performed using similar welding procedures. Similar welds in aluminium (5754-H22) and zinc (Zintek) alloys, as well as dissimilar welds between galvanised steel and zinc, were studied. The defective aluminium welds were found to be characterised by important grain growth inside an inhomogeneous nugget and by the presence of important voids and cracks. The zinc welds showed a well defined nugget, but with porosities and some cracks. In the dissimilar steel–zinc welds, important macroscopic defects were observed. Microstructural analysis evidenced the occurrence of melting at the zinc side of the welds; meanwhile, no microstructural modifications could be observed for the steel side. Defect formation, as well as weld morphologies, was related to the variation in welding parameters.

Influence of the structure and phase composition of the bond interface on aluminium–copper lap welds strength

ABSTRACT The structure and phase composition of the bond interface of aluminium–copper lap welds produced by friction stir welding and tool-assisted friction welding were analysed. Microstructural analysis proved that no through-interface material flow took place in tool-assisted friction welding and that aluminium–copper joining resulted from the formation of a thin and continuous intermetallic layer at the lap interface. For the welds produced by friction stir welding, evidences of through-interface material flow were found, promoting mechanical interlocking of both base materials, at the lap interface, and formation of discontinuous intermetallic layers. Mechanical testing showed that the tool-assisted friction welds, with excellent surface finishing, had low strength, contrary to the friction stir welds, which displayed excellent bond strength. The comparison of the mechanical and microstructural results, for both weld types, pointed to the ineffectiveness of the continuous intermetallic layer in providing high strength bonding.