Microstructure and mechanical properties of dissimilar Al-Cu joints by friction stir welding

Dissimilar friction stir welding between 1060 aluminum alloy and annealed pure copper sheet with a thickness of 3 mm was investigated. Sound weld was obtained at a rotational speed of 1050 r/min and a welding speed of 30 mm/min. Intercalation structure formed at the crown and Cu/weld nugget (WN) area promotes interfacial diffusion and metallurgical bonding of aluminum and copper. However, corrosion morphology reveals the weak bonding mechanism of internal interface, which causes the joint failing across the interface with a brittle-ductile mixed fracture mode. The tensile strength of the joint is 148 MPa, which is higher than that of the aluminum matrix. Crystal defects and grain refinement by severely plastic deformation during friction stir welding facilitate short circuit diffusion and thus accelerate the formation of Al4Cu9 and Al2Cu intermetallic compounds (IMCs). XRD results show that Al4Cu9 is mainly in Cu/WN transition zone. The high dislocation density and formation of dislocation loops are the major reasons of hardness increase in the WN.