Metallurgical characterization of pulsed current gas tungsten arc,friction stir and laser beam welded AZ31B magnesium alloy joints

This paper reports the influences of welding processes such as friction stir welding (FSW), laser beam welding (LBW) and pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding (PCGTAW) on mechanical and metallurgical properties of AZ31B magnesium alloy. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-Ray diffraction technique were used to evaluate the metallurgical characteristics of welded joints. LBW joints exhibited superior tensile properties compared to FSW and PCGTAW joints due to the formation of finer grains in weld region, higher fusion zone hardness, the absence of heat affected zone, presence of uniformly distributed finer precipitates in weld region.     

Effect of tool pin profile on microstructure and mechanical properties of friction stir welded AZ31B magnesium alloy

In this investigation the effect of friction stir welding pin geometry on the microstructure and mechanical properties of AZ31B magnesium alloy joints is studied. The considered pin geometries are simple cylindrical, screw threaded cylindrical and taper. The joints are friction stir welded at different traverse and rotational speeds. Microstructures of the joints are examined using the optical and scanning electron microscopes. Also, the tensile properties and hardness of the joints are measured. The results show that taper and screw threaded cylindrical pins produce defect free joints. In addition, the taper pin results in finest microstructure and highest mechanical properties. Furthermore, it is found that rotational speed has a more significant role on the final microstructure and mechanical properties of the joints, compared to the traverse speed.     

Fatigue performance of pulsed current gas tungsten arc,friction stir and laser beam welded AZ31B magnesium alloy joints

This paper reports the influence of welding processes such as friction stir welding (FSW), laser beam welding (LBW) and pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding (PCGTAW) on fatigue properties of AZ31B magnesium alloy. Fatigue experiment was conducted using servo hydraulic controlled fatigue testing machine. Fatigue strength, fatigue notch factor and notch sensitivity factor were evaluated. The LBW joints showed higher fatigue strength compared to FSW and PCGTAW joints. The formation of very fine grains in weld region, higher fusion zone hardness, uniformly distributed finer precipitates are the main reasons for superior fatigue performance of LBW joints compared to PCGTAW and FSW joints.     

Corrosion fatigue behavior of extruded magnesium alloy AZ31 in sodium chloride solution

In the present study, corrosion fatigue experiments were done using the extruded magnesium alloy AZ31 in the 3% sodium chloride solution to clarify the corrosion fatigue characteristics of the material. Corrosion fatigue lives greatly decreased as compared with those in laboratory air. It was also clarified that most of the corrosion fatigue life (70–80%) at the lower stress amplitude is occupied with the period of the corrosion pit growth. Corrosion fatigue lives were evaluated quantitatively by dividing the corrosion fatigue process into the following two periods, i.e. (1) the corrosion pit growth period preceding the crack initiation from the pit and (2) the crack growth period before the specimen failure. In the analysis, the law of the corrosion pit growth proposed by authors was used to deal with the above first period. The evaluated results corresponded well to the experimental results.     

Growth and corrosion of aluminum PVD-coating on AZ31 magnesium alloy

Magnetron sputtering was applied to prepare aluminum coating on a mechanically polished AZ31 magnesium alloy. A loose oxide film was spontaneously formed on the surface of AZ31 magnesium alloy during polishing process. The aluminum coating, which was subsequently deposited on this oxide layer, presented a developed columnar microstructure. Attributed to the barrier effect of Al coating, the Al coated AZ31 showed a higher corrosion resistance than bare AZ31 in corrosion tests. Generally, Al coating is cathodically protected by magnesium alloy substrate. But it is interesting in this study that Al coating still suffered from severe corrosion due to the occurrence of the alkalization effect.     

Surface analysis of stationary shoulder friction stir processed AZ31B magnesium alloy

We propose a stationary shoulder friction stir process (SSFSP) to produce a smooth surface finish. The use of a stationary shoulder tool contributes to reducing the heat input during friction stir processing (FSP). Hence, a stationary shoulder tool is advantageous for FSP in heat sensitive alloys like magnesium. The present short communication investigates the surface finish of AZ31B magnesium alloy processed by SSFSP without using additional cooling. Surface analysis of the processed region was carried out by 2D and 3D surface mapping using digital microscopy. The surface mapping indicated that there was very little flash generation on the processed zone, while 3D mapping quantified the surface roughness in the longitudinal as well as transverse directions of the processing zone.     

Polishing-assisted galvanic corrosion in the dissimilar friction stir welded joint of AZ31 magnesium alloy to 2024 aluminum alloy

Galvanic corrosion of a dissimilar friction stir welded 2024-T3 Al/AZ31B-H24 Mg joint prepared using a water-based and a non-water-based polishing solution was characterized. Microstructure and the distribution of chemical elements were analyzed using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The stir zone polished using water-based solution was observed to be much more susceptible to galvanic corrosion attack than that obtained using non-water-based polishing solution. The location of corrosion attack was observed in the narrow regions of AZ31 Mg alloy adjacent to Al2024 regions in the stir zone. The occurrence of galvanic corrosion was due to the formation of Mg/Al galvanic couples with a small ratio of anode-to-cathode surface area. The corrosion product was primarily the porous magnesium hydroxide with characteristic microcracks and exhibited a low microhardness value.     

Corrosion behavior of AZ91 magnesium alloy in dilute NaCl solutions

The corrosion behavior of AZ91 magnesium alloy in dilute NaCl solutions was studied using electrochemical measurements, whereby a corrosion map in terms of electrode potential and chloride concentration [Cl⁻] was obtained. AZ91 alloy exhibited the corrosion and passivation zones in dilute NaCl solutions. The passivation zone became narrow with increasing [Cl⁻]. The values of open-circuit potential were in the passivation zone when the [Cl⁻] was less than 0.5 mol/L. XRD patterns showed the presence of the Mg(OH)₂, Mg₅(CO₃)₄(OH)₂·8H₂O and MgO phases in the corrosion product, whereas the latter two phases found in the passive film.     

In-situ hydrothermal crystallization Mg(OH)2 films on magnesium alloy AZ91 and their corrosion resistance properties

Mg(OH)₂ films have been fabricated on magnesium alloy AZ91 substrates by an in-situ hydrothermal method. AZ91 alloy substrates act as both the source of Mg²⁺ ion and the support for the Mg(OH)₂ film in synthetic process. The effect of pH value and hydrothermal treatment time on the morphologies and corrosion resisting properties of Mg(OH)₂ film is studied. The obtained Mg(OH)₂ films are uniform and compact. The adhesion between the films and the substrate is strong due to the in-situ growth process, which enhances their potential for practical applications. Potentiodynamic polarization measurements showed that the Mg(OH)₂ films obtained at pH 10, 3 h exhibits the highest increase in corrosion potential at −0.7097 V and lowest i_corr, which suggests that it is the best effective film in improving the corrosion resistance of AZ91in all obtained films.     

Study of the corrosion behavior of zinc and Zn–Co alloy electrodeposits obtained from alkaline bath using direct current

The corrosion behavior of Zn and Zn–Co alloy electrodeposits that were obtained from weakly alkaline glycine solutions has been studied. SEM, EDS and XRD were used to study surface morphology, chemical composition and phase structure of the coatings. Corrosion behavior of Zn and Zn–Co alloy coatings was studied by using potentiodynamic polarization test and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. The results showed that increasing current density during deposition, increases cobalt content of the coating. It was also shown that increasing current density, up to 15 mA cm⁻², decreases the grain size and further increase in current density increases the grain size of the deposit. It was also noticed that corrosion resistance of deposits was highly influenced by the composition and morphology of the coatings. Zn–Co deposit containing 0.89 wt.% Co showed the highest corrosion resistance due to its single phase structure and its finer morphology.     

Preparation and performance of a novel multifunctional plasma electrolytic oxidation composite coating formed on magnesium alloy

Plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) in an alkaline phosphate electrolyte was used to produce a novel multifunctional polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-containing oxide composite coatings on AM60B magnesium alloys. The composition and microstructure of the PTFE-containing PEO coatings were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The electrochemical corrosion behavior, tribological properties, and wetting properties of the PTFE-containing PEO composite coatings were evaluated using potentiodynamic polarization measurements, a reciprocating ball-on-disk tribometer, and a contact angle meter, respectively. Results show that the PTFE-containing PEO composite coatings exhibited superior corrosion resistance, excellent self-lubricating property, and better hydrophobic property when compared with pure PEO coatings, and will be the attractive advanced materials for a wide range of functional applications.     

Effects of heating process on the microstructures and tensile properties of friction stir spot welded AZ31 magnesium alloy plates

In this paper, the effects of heating process on the microstructures and tensile properties of a friction stir spot welding (FSSW) welded AZ31 magnesium alloy were investigated by microstructural observations and tensile tests. The results shown that compared with the FSSW welded joint, the width of the bonded zone of the heating FSSW welded AZ31 magnesium alloy joint increased remarkably, while the width of the partial metallurgical zone and the number of the voids formed in it reduced. The tensile test results indicated that the increase of the heating temperature improved the tensile shear load (TSL) of the heating FSSW welded joint greatly when the heating temperature was lower than 573 K. However, the TSL of the heating FSSW welded joint decreased when the heating temperature was more than 573 K due to the coarsening of the grains.     

Predicting tensile strength,hardness and corrosion rate of friction stir welded AA6061-T6 aluminium alloy joints

AA6061-T₆ aluminium alloy (Al–Mg–Si alloy) has gathered wide acceptance in the fabrication of light weight structures requiring high strength-to-weight ratio and good corrosion resistance. The friction stir welding (FSW) process and tool parameters play major role in deciding the joint characteristics. In this research, the tensile strength and hardness along with the corrosion rate of friction-stir-butt welded joints of AA6061-T₆ aluminium alloy were investigated. The relationships between the FSW parameters (rotational speed, welding speed, axial force, shoulder diameter, pin diameter and tool hardness) and the responses (tensile strength, hardness and corrosion rate) were established. The optimal welding conditions to maximize the tensile strength and minimize the corrosion rate were identified and reported here.     

Corrosion of magnesium alloy AZ31 screws is dependent on the implantation site

The corrosion of biodegradable materials is a crucial issue in implant development. Among other materials, magnesium and magnesium based alloys are one of the most promising candidates. Since the corrosion of biodegradable materials depends on different physiological parameters like pH or ion concentrations, the corrosion might be different in different biological environments. To investigate this issue, we produced screws from magnesium alloy AZ31 and implanted them into the hip bone of 14 sheep. After 3 and 6 months, the screws were explanted and analyzed with synchrotron-radiation based micro-computed tomography and hard tissue histology. We found considerable differences in the corrosion behavior of the magnesium screws with respect to its original tissue location. However, we could detect a normal immunological tissue response.     

Interface microstructure study of friction stir lap joint of AC4C cast aluminum alloy and zinc-coated steel

AC4C cast Al alloy and zinc-coated steel are successfully lap jointed using friction stir welding. The interface microstructure is investigated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The mechanical properties of the joints are evaluated using tensile test. Experimental results show that the lap joint consisted of four part structures, i.e. stir zone structure of Al alloy, new intermetallic compounds layer, old intermetallic compounds layer of original zinc coat and base material of steel. The thickness of intermetallic compounds layer increases with decreasing welding speeds and has a significant effect on the strengths of the joints. Heavy thickness of intermetallic compounds layer seriously deteriorates the mechanical properties of the joints. The intermetallic compounds layer mainly contains Fe₂Al₅ and Fe₄Al₁₃.     

Corrosion fatigue behavior of extruded magnesium alloy AZ80-T5 in a 5% NaCl environment

The corrosion fatigue behavior of extruded AZ80-T5 magnesium alloy has been investigated in three different environments: (1) a low humidity environment (35-40% relative humidity), (2) a high-humidity environment (80% relative humidity), and (3) a 5 wt.% NaCl environment. Fatigue tests were conducted under axial loading at a stress ratio of −1 and at a frequency of 20 Hz. It was found that in both the high-humidity environment and in the 5 wt.% NaCl environment the fatigue strength was reduced relative to the low humidity environment, especially in the NaCl environment: the reduction rates of fatigue limit under high humidity and NaCl environments were 18%, and 78%, respectively. The reduction of fatigue strength under the corrosive environments was attributed to the pit formation and growth. At low stress amplitudes, multiple pits were formed and coalesced to form a large pit under NaCl environment. A fatigue crack nucleated when the pit grew to the critical size.     

An experimental analysis of fatigue behavior of AZ31B magnesium alloy welded joint based on infrared thermography

The fatigue behavior of AZ31B magnesium alloy welded joint during high cycle fatigue test was investigated by infrared thermography. Five stages of superficial temperature evolution were observed: an initial temperature increase, a temperature decline, a temperature equilibrium, an abrupt temperature increase and a temperature drop after the failure. The theoretical models were formulated to explain the observed temperature evolution. The mean temperature decline caused by thermoelastic effect was observed and discussed when the maximum stresses were below 30 MPa. The influence of weld reinforcement on fatigue behavior was also investigated. A good precision was achieved in fatigue strength prediction by means of infrared thermography.     

Tensile behavior of dissimilar friction stir welded joints of aluminium alloys

The heat treatable aluminium alloy AA2024 is used extensively in the aircraft industry because of its high strength to weight ratio and good ductility. The non-heat treatable aluminium alloy AA5083 possesses medium strength and high ductility and used typically in structural applications, marine, and automotive industries. When compared to fusion welding processes, friction stir welding (FSW) process is an emerging solid state joining process which is best suitable for joining these alloys. The friction stir welding parameters such as tool pin profile, tool rotational speed, welding speed, and tool axial force influence the mechanical properties of the FS welded joints significantly. Dissimilar FS welded joints are fabricated using five different tool pin profiles. Central composite design with four parameters, five levels, and 31 runs is used to conduct the experiments and response surface method (RSM) is employed to develop the model. Mathematical regression models are developed to predict the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and tensile elongation (TE) of the dissimilar friction stir welded joints of aluminium alloys 2024-T6 and 5083-H321, and they are validated. The effects of the above process parameters and tool pin profile on tensile strength and tensile elongation of dissimilar friction stir welded joints are analysed in detail. Joints fabricated using Tapered Hexagon tool pin profile have the highest tensile strength and tensile elongation, whereas the Straight Cylinder tool pin profile have the lowest tensile strength and tensile elongation. The results are useful to have a better understanding of the effects of process parameters, to fabricate the joints with desired tensile properties, and to automate the FS welding process.     

电轧AZ31镁合金在模拟海水中腐蚀行为研究

为对比研究高能电脉冲轧制工艺和冷轧工艺对AZ31镁合金腐蚀性能的影响,采用腐蚀形貌观察、动电位极化测试、电化学阻抗谱与腐蚀速度测试等方法系统地研究了高能电脉冲轧制和冷轧AZ31镁合金带材在模拟海水(3.5%NaCl)中的腐蚀行为.结果表明:在同样变形量下,与冷轧AZ31镁合金相比,电轧AZ31镁合金的耐腐蚀性略有提高.这与电轧AZ31镁合金再结晶比例大,位错密度小,具有较低能态的位错组态及能形成较稳定的腐蚀产物膜有关.     

A study on the effect of plasma electrolytic oxidation on the stress corrosion cracking behaviour of a wrought AZ61 magnesium alloy and its friction stir weldment

Friction stir weldments of a wrought AZ61 magnesium alloy produced in a robotic friction stir welder under optimised welding conditions were characterised for microstructure, mechanical properties, corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behaviour. The effect of surface modification in the form of a plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) coating on the corrosion behaviour of the weldment was assessed. The weldment exhibited a joint efficiency of 94%, nevertheless, the weld nugget region was found to have a higher susceptibility to SCC than its parent material counterpart. Even though the PEO coating had provided a good resistance to general and pitting corrosion, it could not completely prevent SCC of this weldment in ASTM D1384 solution.