The Microstructure,Texture and Mechanical Properties of Friction Stir Welded Aluminum Alloy

Russian Journal of Non-Ferrous Metals - The microstructure and texture of 7075-T6 FSW weld with optimal parameters are investigated using optical microscopy, electron back scatter diffraction and...     

Mechanical Properties,Microstructure and Crystallographic Texture of Magnesium AZ91-D Alloy Welded by Friction Stir Welding (FSW)

The objective of the study was to characterize the properties of a magnesium alloy welded by friction stir welding. The results led to a better understanding of the relationship between this process and the microstructure and anisotropic properties of alloy materials. Welding principally leads to a large reduction in grain size in welded zones due to the phenomenon of dynamic recrystallization. The most remarkable observation was that crystallographic textures appeared from a base metal without texture in two zones: the thermo-mechanically affected and stir-welded zones. The latter zone has the peculiarity of possessing a marked texture with two components on the basal plane and the pyramidal plane. These characteristics disappeared in the thermo-mechanically affected zone (TMAZ), which had only one component following the basal plane. These modifications have been explained by the nature of the plastic deformation in these zones, which occurs at a moderate temperature in the TMAZ and high temperature in the SWZ.     

Development of Microstructure and Crystallographic Texture during Stationary Shoulder Friction Stir Welding of Ti-6Al-4V

Electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) was used to study a stationary shoulder friction stir weld in Ti-6Al-4V. Weld temperatures exceeded the β-transus, resulting in a supertransus zone (STZ) that encompassed all of the thermomechanically affected zone (TMAZ) and a portion of the heat-affected zone (HAZ). Standard EBSD provided limited information on the material behavior at high temperature in the β phase field, so in-house software was used to reconstruct the crystallographic orientations of the high-temperature β phase. The portion of the HAZ that lay within the STZ exhibited the same β texture at high temperature as the retained β phase in the unaffected parent material. In the TMAZ, material was deformed in the high-temperature β phase field and, on cooling, transformed to a fully lamellar microstructure. The β textures at high temperature were dominated by the D ₂ ( [`1][`1]2 )[ 111 ] \left( {\bar{1}\bar{1}2} \right)\left[ {111} \right] simple shear texture component. The α phase textures in the fully lamellar microstructure that formed on cooling were inherited from the shear textures of the β phase, but significant variant selection occurred.     

Microstructure,Tensile and Impact Toughness Properties of Friction Stir Welded Mild Steel

 Microstructure, tensile and impact toughness properties and fracture location of friction stir welded AISI 1018 mild steel are revealed in this paper. The 5 mm thick AISI 1018 mild steel plates were friction stir welded with tool rotational speed of 1000 rpm and welding speed of 50 mm/min with tungsten base alloy tool. Tensile strength of stir zone is higher (8%) when compared to the base metal. This may be due to the formation of finer grains in the weld nugget region under the stirring action of the rotating tool. The ductility and impact toughness of the joints are decreased compared to the base metal and this is due to the inclusion of tungsten particles in the weld region.     

Friction Stir Welded AZ31 Magnesium Alloy: Microstructure, Texture, and Tensile Properties

This study was aimed at characterizing the microstructure, texture and tensile properties of a friction stir welded AZ31B-H24 Mg alloy with varying tool rotational rates and welding speeds. Friction stir welding (FSW) resulted in the presence of recrystallized grains and the relevant drop in hardness in the stir zone (SZ). The base alloy contained a strong crystallographic texture with basal planes (0002) largely parallel to the rolling sheet surface and $ \langle {11\bar{2}0} \rangle $ directions aligned in the rolling direction (RD). After FSW the basal planes in the SZ were slightly tilted toward the TD determined from the sheet normal direction (or top surface) and also slightly inclined toward the RD determined from the transverse direction (or cross section) due to the intense shear plastic flow near the pin surface. The prismatic planes $ (10\bar{1}0) $ and pyramidal planes $ (10\bar{1}1) $ formed fiber textures. After FSW both the strength and ductility of the AZ31B-H24 Mg alloy decreased with a joint efficiency in-between about 75 and 82 pct due to the changes in both grain structure and texture, which also weakened the strain rate dependence of tensile properties. The welding speed and rotational rate exhibited a stronger effect on the YS than the UTS. Despite the lower ductility, strain-hardening exponent and hardening capacity, a higher YS was obtained at a higher welding speed and lower rotational rate mainly due to the smaller recrystallized grains in the SZ arising from the lower heat input.     

Microstructure and Fatigue Properties of a Friction Stir Lap Welded Magnesium Alloy

Friction stir welding (FSW), being an enabling solid-state joining technology, can be suitably applied for the assembly of lightweight magnesium (Mg) alloys. In this investigation, friction stir lap welded (FSLWed) joints of AZ31B-H24 Mg alloy were characterized in terms of the welding defects, microstructure, hardness, and fatigue properties at various combinations of tool rotational rates and welding speeds. It was observed that the hardness decreased from the base metal (BM) to the stir zone (SZ) across the heat-affected zone (HAZ) and thermomechanically affected zone (TMAZ). The lowest value of hardness appeared in the SZ. With increasing tool rotational rate or decreasing welding speed, the average hardness in the SZ decreased owing to increasing grain size, and a Hall–Petch-type relationship was established. Fatigue fracture of the lap welds always occurred at the interface between the SZ and TMAZ on the advancing side where a larger hooking defect was present (in comparison with the retreating side). The welding parameters had a significant influence on the hook height and the subsequent fatigue life. A relatively “cold” weld, conducted at a rotational rate of 1000 rpm and welding speed of 20 mm/s, gave rise to almost complete elimination of the hooking defect, thus considerably (over two orders of magnitude) improving the fatigue life. Fatigue crack propagation was basically characterized by the formation of fatigue striations concomitantly with secondary cracks.     

稀土镁合金搅拌摩擦焊接接头组织及性能分析

成功实现了7 mm厚Mg-Gd-Y系镁合金板的搅拌摩擦焊接,用光学电子显微镜、扫描电子显微镜等手段对焊接接头进行分析。实验结果表明:接头表面光滑,没有裂纹。显微组织特征显示接头有明显分区,各区域晶粒度存在差异。在旋转速度为800 r·min-1,焊接速度为100 mm·min-1时,可以获得较好的焊接性能,抗拉强度达到母材的87%,断后伸长率达到母材的84%。焊缝显微硬度的最低值出现在前进侧机械热影响区,断口表现为准解理断裂特征,断口剖面局部可见镁与稀土元素Gd和Y形成的形状规则、颗粒细小的第二相粒子。     

Texture Development in a Friction Stir Lap-Welded AZ31B Magnesium Alloy

The present study was aimed at characterizing the microstructure, texture, hardness, and tensile properties of an AZ31B-H24 Mg alloy that was friction stir lap welded (FSLWed) at varying tool rotational rates and welding speeds. Friction stir lap welding (FSLW) resulted in the presence of recrystallized grains and an associated hardness drop in the stir zone (SZ). Microstructural investigation showed that both the AZ31B-H24 Mg base metal (BM) and SZ contained β-Mg₁₇Al₁₂ and Al₈Mn₅ second phase particles. The AZ31B-H24 BM contained a type of basal texture (0001)〈11 \( \overline{2} \) 0〉 with the (0001) plane nearly parallel to the rolled sheet surface and 〈11 \( \overline{2} \) 0〉 directions aligned in the rolling direction. FSLW resulted in the formation of another type of basal texture (0001)〈10 \( \overline{1} \) 0〉 in the SZ, where the basal planes (0001) became slightly tilted toward the transverse direction, and the prismatic planes (10 \( \overline{1} \) 0) and pyramidal planes (10 \( \overline{1} \) 1) exhibited a 30 deg + (n ? 1) × 60 deg rotation (n = 1, 2, 3, …) with respect to the rolled sheet normal direction, due to the shear plastic flow near the pin surface that occurred from the intense local stirring. With increasing tool rotational rate and decreasing welding speed, the maximum intensity of the basal poles (0001) in the SZ decreased due to a higher degree of dynamic recrystallization that led to a weaker or more random texture. The tool rotational rate and welding speed had a strong effect on the failure load of FSLWed joints. A combination of relatively high welding speed (20 mm/s) and low tool rotational rate (1000 rpm) was observed to be capable of achieving a high failure load. This was attributed to the relatively small recrystallized grains and high intensity of the basal poles in the SZ arising from the low heat input as well as the presence of a small hooking defect.     

Deep Drawing of Friction Stir Welded Thin Sheet Aluminium Steel Tailored Hybrids

Friction stir welding undergoes a steep evolution in industrial applications since the invention in the early 1990s. Especially for aluminium alloys in sheet thicknesses over 2 mm a lot of applications are established, whereas a lack in knowledge about friction stir welding of thin sheets with sheet thickness less than 2 mm exists. This article deals with friction stir welding of thin sheet aluminium steel tailored hybrids and their formability. These investigations tend to close the gap of availability of friction stir welded blanks in the range of 1 mm sheet thickness and to offer new applications of this joining technology. For production of aluminium steel tailored hybrids AA5182 with a thickness of 1.2 mm and DC04 in 1.0 mm are used, the joining partners are friction stir welded in a lap joint. Different tool geometries and process parameters are performed to achieve the highest strength and elongation at fracture of the tailored hybrids. The influence of the stirring on the arrangement and distribution of both materials in the welding zone and its microstructure is analysed using light optical and scanning electron microscopy. In addition to tensile tests planar microhardness measurements help to detect the local changes of the mechanical properties in the characteristic zones of the weld seam. Tailored hybrids, which were friction stir welded with the best welding parameters in accordance to the mechanical properties of the weld seams, were used for deep drawing tests of friction stir welded thin sheet aluminium steel tailored hybrids. The maximum drawing ratio of these tailored hybrids coincides with the one of the parent material of AA5182.     

The Defining Role of Local Shear on the Development of As-Rolled Microstructure and Crystallographic Texture in Steel

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A - This study involved laboratory unidirectional (UDR) and reverse (RR) cold rolling of steel, and corresponding direct (and indirect) observations of...     

Transformation and Deformation Texture Study in Friction Stir Processed API X80 Pipeline Steel

The nature of deformation in friction stir welding/processing (FSW/P) is complex which is further complicated when allotropic phase transformations are present. Electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) is used as a means to reconstruct prior austenite texture and grain structure to study deformation and recrystallization in austenite and ferrite in FSW/P of high strength low alloy (HSLA) steels. Analyses show evidence of shear deformation textures such as A1* (111)[?1?12], B (1?12)[110], and ?B (?11?2)[?1?10], as well as rotated-cube recrystallization texture in the reconstructed prior austenite. Existence of rotated-cube texture as well as polygonal grain structure of the prior austenite implies that recrystallization is partially occurring in elevated temperatures. Room temperature ferrite exhibits well-defined shear deformation texture components. The observed shear deformation texture in the room temperature microstructure implies that FSW/P imposes deformation during the phase transformation. The evolution of both elevated and room temperature textures in friction stir processed API X80 steel are presented.     

Microstructure and Texture Evolution during Single- and Multiple-Pass Friction Stir Processing of Heat-Treatable Aluminum Alloy 2024

Microstructure and crystallographic texture evolution during single- and multiple-pass friction stir processing (FSP) of an age-hardenable aluminum alloy 2024 (Al-Cu-Mg) was investigated. Multiple-pass experiments were carried out using two different processing strategies, multi-pass FSP, and multi-track FSP. Effect of a post-FSP heat treatment above and below the solutionizing temperature of the alloy was also studied. FSP experiments were carried out using an optimal set of parameters. Characterization tools used in the study include scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD), electron probe micro-analyser (EPMA), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Microstructural features indicate the occurrence of particle stimulated nucleation (PSN) assisted dynamic recrystallization (DRX) as the dominant microstructural evolution mechanism in the nugget zone. Geometrical coalescence occurred, leading to the formation of some larger grains in the nugget zone. Heterogenous micro-texture distribution was observed in the nugget zone with the bulk textures consisting of FCC shear texture components dominated by A ₁*/A ₂* and C. Microstructure and texture in the nugget zone remained stable after both routes of multiple-pass processing, demonstrating the possibility of FSP to produce bulk volume of fine-grained materials. Post-FSP heat treatment indicated the stability of microstructure and texture up to 723 K (450 °C) owing to relatively lower strain energies retained after FSP.

     

Microstructure and Texture Evolution during Friction Stir Processing of Fully Lamellar Ti-6Al-4V

Friction stir processing (FSP) was used to locally refine a thin surface layer of the coarse, fully lamellar microstructure of investment-cast Ti-6Al-4V. Depending on the peak temperature reached in the stir zone during processing relative to the β transus, three distinct classes of microstructures were observed. Using accepted wrought product terminology, they are equiaxed, bimodal, and lamellar, except for the case of FSP, the length scale of each was smaller by at least an order of magnitude compared to typical wrought material. The evolution of an initially strain-free fully lamellar microstructure to each of these three refined conditions was characterized with scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction. The fundamental mechanisms underlying grain refinement during FSP, including both the morphological changes and the formation of high-angle grain boundaries, were discussed.     

Fatigue Crack Propagation in Friction Stir Welded and Parent AA6082

The fatigue crack propagation characteristics of a friction stir welded Al‐Mg‐Si alloy, 6082, have been investigated. The electrical potential drop method was used for measurements. A low and a high load ratio (R) level were tested. At low load ratio (R=0.1) and a low stress intensity δK the propagation rate in the weld was higher than in the parent material by a factor of 3 to 5. However, the propagation rates were approaching each other close to fracture. At high load ratio (R=0.8) the propagation rate was similar in the parent material and weld. The weld crack growth rate was about the same at low and high R (except close to fracture), while the parent material growth rate increased at high R. Paris law was used to describe the measured crack propagation rates in the weld. In the case of the parent material, showing an R‐dependence, Forman's law was used.     

Texture Development and Material Flow Behavior During Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding of AlMgSc

The microstructural evolution during refill friction stir spot welding of an AlMgSc alloy was studied. The primary texture that developed in all regions, with the exception of the weld center, was determined to be 〈110〉 fibers and interpreted as a simple shear texture with the 〈110〉 direction aligned with the shear direction. The material flow is mainly driven by two components: the simple shear acting on the horizontal plane causing an inward-directed spiral flow and the extrusion acting on the vertical plane causing an upward-directed or downward-directed flow. Under such a complex material flow, the weld center, which is subjected to minimal local strain, is the least recrystallized. In addition to the geometric effects of strain and grain subdivision, thermally activated high-angle grain boundary migration, particularly continuous dynamic recrystallization, drives the formation of refined grains in the stirred zone.