High-velocity impact bonding of dissimilar metals by chemically produced hydrogen energy

There has been a growing demand in the fabrication of dissimilar metal parts for application in the automotive, aerospace, defense, chemical and nuclear industries. Welding of dissimilar materials can be accomplished via impact welding, which can minimize the formation of a continuous inter-metallic phase, while chemically bonding dissimilar metals. This paper discusses an innovative technique for bonding dissimilar metals by chemically produced hydrogen energy by reacting aluminum powder and water. Experiments were carried out to bond copper and stainless steel billets. Preliminary test results show the potential of this technique for near-net-shape impact bonding of discrete parts.