Dissimilar friction stir welding of 6061 Al to T2 pure Cu adopting tooth-shaped joint configuration: Microstructure and mechanical properties

In this paper, dissimilar 6061aluminum alloy and commercial pure copper were friction stir butt welded adopting tooth-shaped joint configuration to investigate the influence of Al/Cu content in welding bead (WB) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the joint. At preliminary tests, optimal welding parameters were determined to guarantee proper heat input. Welding experiments were performed with the dimensions of the tooth as variables, which is a special technique to tailor Al/Cu content in WB. Macro and microstructure of the cross section of the joints were characterized via optical microscopy (OM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). Special band structure(BS) showing lamellar-like flow characteristic is worthy of noticing. Additionally, dispersive Cu particles (DP), forming composite-like structure, were captured. High Cu concentration, however, yielded a harsh material flow due to its high plasticized temperature and poor flowability and can not produce reliable metallurgical bonding. Microhardness of the joint was investigated and the high hardness was caused mainly by the hard intermetallic compounds (IMCs). Besides, tensile tests were conducted to evaluate the joint performance. Based on the result analysis, this joint form has special advantage in tailoring Al/Cu content in WB and controlling the microstructure that imposes significant influence on mechanical properties of the joints.