A review about Friction Stir Welding of metal matrix composites

Although Friction Stir Welding (FSW), a rather recent solid state welding process, has been proven able to join metal matrix composites (MMCs), it is still subjected to many challenges that need to be overcome to extend its applications. The current review aims to establish a global state-of-the-art of Friction Stir Welding of metal matrix composites. Many points of interests will be discussed, namely the microstructure of the joint and more especially the behavior of the reinforcements during joining, the friction stir weld properties, the advantages of using FSW to weld MMCs by comparison with other joining processes and the issue of tool wear. Some ways of improvement and development are finally proposed.