Rajiv S. Mishra

Friction stir welding and processing

Abstract Friction stir welding (FSW) is a relatively new solid-state joining process. This joining technique is energy efficient, environment friendly, and versatile. In particular, it can be used to join high-strength aerospace aluminum alloys and other metallic alloys that are hard to weld by conventional fusion welding. FSW is considered to be the most significant development in metal joining in a decade. Recently, friction stir processing (FSP) was developed for microstructural modification of metallic materials. In this review article, the current state of understanding and development of the FSW and FSP are addressed. Particular emphasis has been given to: (a) mechanisms responsible for the formation of welds and microstructural refinement, and (b) effects of FSW/FSP parameters on resultant microstructure and final mechanical properties. While the bulk of the information is related to aluminum alloys, important results are now available for other metals and alloys. At this stage, the technology diffusion has significantly outpaced the fundamental understanding of microstructural evolution and microstructure–property relationships.

Microstructural investigation of friction stir welded 7050-T651 aluminium

The grain structure, dislocation density and second phase particles in various regions including the dynamically recrystallized zone (DXZ), thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ), and heat affected zone (HAZ) of a friction stir weld aluminum alloy 7050-T651 were investigated and compared with the unaffected base metal. The various regions were studied in detail to better understand the microstructural evolution during friction stir welding (FSW). The microstructural development in each region was a strong function of the local thermo-mechanical cycle experienced during welding. Using the combination of structural characteristics observed in each weld region, a new dynamic recrystallization model has been proposed. The precipitation phenomena in different weld regions are also discussed.

High strain rate superplasticity in a friction stir processed 7075 Al alloy

In this paper, the authors report the first results using friction stir processing (FSP). In the last ten years, a new technique of Friction Stir Welding (FSW) has emerged as an exciting solid state joining technique for aluminum alloys. This technique, developed by The Welding Institute (TWI), involves traversing a rotating tool that produces intense plastic deformation through a stirring action. The localized heating is produced by friction between the tool shoulder and the sheet top surface, as well as plastic deformation of the material in contact with the tool. This results in a stirred zone with a very fine grain size in a single pass. Mahoney et al. observed a grain size of 3 {micro}m in a 7075 Al alloy. This process can be easily adopted as a processing technique to obtain fine grain size. FSP of a commercial 7075 Al alloy resulted in significant enhancement of superplastic properties. The optimum superplastic strain rate was 10{sup {minus}2}s{sup {minus}1} at 490 C in the FSP 7075 Al alloy, an improvement of more than an order of magnitude in strain rate. The present results suggest an exciting possibility to use a simple FSP technique to enhance grain size dependent properties.

Friction stir processing: a novel technique for fabrication of surface composite

Abstract A novel surface modifying technique, friction stir processing (FSP), has been developed for fabrication of surface composite. Al–SiC surface composites with different volume fractions of particles were successfully fabricated. The thickness of the surface composite layer ranged from 50 to 200 μm. The SiC particles were uniformly distributed in the aluminum matrix. The surface composites have excellent bonding with the aluminum alloy substrate. The microhardness of the surface composite reinforced with 27vol.%SiC of 0.7 μm average particle size was ∼173 HV, almost double of the 5083Al alloy substrate (85 HV). The solid-state processing and very fine microstructure that results are also desirable for high performance surface composites.

Superplastic deformation behaviour of friction stir processed 7075Al alloy

Commercial 7075Al rolled plates were subjected to friction stir processing (FSP) with different processing parameters, resulting in two fine-grained 7075Al alloys with a grain size of 3.8 and 7.5 µm. Heat treatment at 490 °C for 1 h showed that the fine grain microstructures were stable at high temperatures. Superplastic investigations in the temperature range of 420–530 °C and strain rate range of 1× 10 3 –1× 10 1 s 1 demonstrated that a decrease in grain size resulted in significantly enhanced superplasticity and a shift to higher optimum strain rate and lower optimum deformation temperature. For the 3.8 µm 7075Al alloy, superplastic elongations of 1250% were obtained at 480 °C in the strain rate range of 3× 10 3 –3× 10 2 s 1 , whereas the 7.5 µm 7075Al alloy exhibited a maximum ductility of 1042% at 500 °C and 3× 10 3 s 1 . The analyses of the superplastic data for the two alloys revealed a stress exponent of 2, an inverse grain size dependence of 2, and an activation energy close to that for grain boundary self-diffusion. This indicates that grain boundary sliding is the main deformation mechanism for the FSP 7075Al. This was verified by SEM examinations on the surfaces of deformed specimens.  2002 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Superplasticity in powder metallurgy aluminum alloys and composites

Superplasticity in powder metallurgy aluminum alloys and composites has been reviewed through a detailed analysis. The stress-strain curves can be put into four categories: a classical well-behaved type, continuous strain hardening type, continuous strain softening type and a complex type. The origin of these different types of stress-strain curves is discussed. The microstructural features of the processed material and the role of strain have been reviewed. The role of increasing misorientation of low angle boundaries to high angle boundaries by lattice dislocation absorption is examined. Threshold stresses have been determined and analyzed. The parametric dependencies for superplastic flow in modified conventional aluminum alloys, mechanically alloyed alloys and aluminum alloy matrix composites is determined to elucidate the superplastic mechanism at high strain rates. The role of incipient melting has been analyzed. A stress exponent of 2, an activation energy equal to that for grain boundary diffusion and a grain size dependence of 2 generally describes superplastic flow in modified conventional aluminum alloys and mechanically alloyed alloys. The present results agree well with the predictions of grain boundary sliding models. This suggests that the mechanism of high strain rate superplasticity in the above-mentioned alloys is similar to conventional superplasticity. The shift of optimum superplastic strain rates to higher values is a consequence of microstructural refinement. The parametric dependencies for superplasticity in aluminum alloy matrix composites, however, is different. A true activation energy of 313 kJ mol−1 best describes the composites having SiC reinforcements. The role of shape of the reinforcement (particle or whisker) and processing history is addressed. The analysis suggests that the mechanism for superplasticity in composites is interface diffusion controlled grain boundary sliding.

Steady state creep behaviour of silicon carbide particulate reinforced aluminium composites

Tensile creep tests were carried out on 15SiC (vol.pct) particulate reinforced commercial pure aluminum (15%SiCp/Al) composite at 573 and 623 K. The steady state creep stage exists at the applied stresses under the condition of tension. The 15%SiCp/Al composite exhibits an apparent stress exponent of about 13 and an apparent activation energy of 253 kJ/mol. The creep data were normalized using a substructure invariant model with a stress exponent of 8 together with a threshold stress.

Mechanical behavior and superplasticity of a severe plastic deformation processed nanocrystalline Ti–6Al–4V alloy

Abstract Mechanical behavior of a severe plastic deformation (SePD) processed nanocrystalline Ti–6Al–4V alloy has been studied in the temperature range 25–675°C. Compared with the microcrystalline state, the nanocrystalline state material had higher strength up to 400°C and comparable strength above that. The ductility was significantly higher for the nanocrystalline state above 500°C, including superplasticity above 600°C. Transmission electron microscopy showed considerable grain growth and dislocation activity during superplastic deformation. A comparison of the superplastic data across the nanocrystalline and microcrystalline range showed an interesting discrepancy in the kinetics of superplastic deformation. Contrary to the general expectation, the kinetics of superplastic deformation was slower in ultrafine grained materials after normalizing the data for grain size and temperature dependence. The slower superplastic deformation kinetics in the nanocrystalline materials is discussed in terms of the difficulty associated with slip accommodation of grain boundary sliding.

Microstructural modification of as-cast Al-Si-Mg alloy by friction stir processing

Friction stir processing (FSP) has been applied to cast aluminum alloy A356 plates to enhance the mechanical properties through microstructural refinement and homogenization. The effect of tool geometry and FSP parameters on resultant microstructure and mechanical properties was investigated. The FSP broke up and dispersed the coarse acicular Si particles creating a uniform distribution of Si particles in the aluminum matrix with significant microstructural refinement. Further, FSP healed the casting porosity. These microstructural changes led to a significant improvement in both strength and ductility. Higher tool rotation rate was the most effective parameter to refine coarse Si particles, heal the casting porosity, and consequently increase strength. The effect of tool geometry was complicated and no systematic trend was observed. For a standard pin design, maximum strength was achieved at a tool rotation rate of 900 rpm and traverse speed of 203 mm/min. Post-FSP aging increased strength for materials processed at higher tool rotation rates of 700 to 1100 rpm, but exerted only a marginal effect on samples prepared at the lower rotation rate of 300 rpm. Two-pass FSP with 100 pct overlapping passes resulted in higher strength for both as-FSP and post-FSP aged conditions.

Multi-sheet structures in 7475 aluminum by friction stir welding in concert with post-weld superplastic forming

Abstract Diffusion bonding/superplastic forming (DB/SPF) is an established fabrication technology for titanium aerospace components. However, DB cannot be applied easily to aluminum alloys because of tenacious surface oxides. Friction stir welding may eliminate this problem and allow fabrication of multi-sheet structures via friction stir welding/SPF.