Hybrid Friction Stir Welding of High-carbon Steel

A high-carbon steel joint, SK5 (0.84 wt% C), was successfully welded by friction stir welding (FSW), both without and with a gas torch, in order to control the cooling rate during welding. After welding, the weld zone comprised gray and black regions, corresponding to microstructural variation: a martensite structure and a duplex structure of ferrite and cementite, respectively The volume fraction of the martensite structure and the Vickers hardness in the welds were decreased with the using of the gas torch, which was related with the lower cooling rate.