Journal of Welding Science

In this study, the microstructure of the joint interface in three-layer explosive welding of austenitic stainless steel 321 - aluminum 1050 - aluminum 5083 was examined before and after heat treatment. The welded samples were subjected to heat treatment at temperatures of 250°C and 350°C for durations of 1000, 3000, and 10000 seconds. Microstructural analysis was performed using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results revealed that under all conditions, the Joint Interface of aluminum 5083 - aluminum 1050 exhibited a flat and defect-free structure. With increasing standoff distance, the Joint Interface of stainless steel 321 - aluminum 1050 transitioned from a smooth to a wavy pattern, and the average layer thickness increased from 4.95 μm to 6.7 μm. During heat treatment, the layer thickness in the Joint Interface increased proportionally to the diffusion kinetics, reaching maximum values of 18.56 μm and 15.02 μm for samples with standoff distances of 6.75 mm and 6 mm, respectively. The activation energies for diffusion were calculated as 46.6 kJ/mol and 42.4 kJ/mol, and the diffusion constants were 142.2 ms-1  and 45.3 ms-1 for the same samples.

In today's technological landscape, the push for miniaturization in electronic devices is greater than ever, driven by technological advancements.The challenges of electromigration and thermomigration
have arisen due to the need to establish new electronic connections under conditions characterized by creeping temperatures, originating from the low melting point of solders and high current density.  Therefore, recently, alloying and composite materials have been employed to enhance the resistance of electronic connections to electromigration. In this study, efforts to enhance the resistance to electromigration using a composite SAC0307 lead-free solder alloy incorporating cobalt microparticles. The presence of cobalt in the intermetallic composition of the interface causes more stability of the intermetallic composition of the interface and prevents the reduction of the thickness of the intermetallic composition of the interface during the time of the electromigration test; As a result, the stability and electronic connection of the sample soldered with composite solder alloy is more than that of non-composite solder alloy. On the other hand, due to the fine grain structure and the increase in grain boundary density in the composite solder alloy, the lattice diffusion mechanism in the non-composite solder alloy has been changed to the grain boundary diffusion mechanism; As a result, due to the consumption of copper atoms flowed from the cathode side to the anode by the intermetallic compounds present in the grain boundaries, non-uniform microstructural was observed in the composite solder alloy during the time of electromigration test.

In this research, the transient liquid phase bonding of St52 carbon steel to WC-Co cermet using a copper interlayer with 50 μm thickness was done. For this purpose, samples were jointed to each other at a constant temperature of 1100 ºC and bonding times of 1, 15, 30, and 45 min. The microstructure of the joints was examined using an optical microscope and scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. XRD analysis was also used to investigate the effect of bonding on the phase changes of the bonding area. Microhardness and tensile shear tests were also conducted to study the mechanical properties of the samples. Microstructural investigations showed the formation of three different zones including isothermal and athermal solidification zones and DAZ in the WC-Co base material side, which determine the characteristics of the samples. The isothermal solidification zone contained a Fe-rich solid solution and the athermal solidification zone contained a Cu-rich solid solution. η phase was not formed in the DAZ of WC-Co cermet at bonding times of 1 and 15 min. This phase was formed in the DAZ of WC-Co cermet by increasing the bonding time to 30 and 45 min. The microhardness studies showed that all samples had the same trend. Maximum microhardness was 1100 HV which was related to WC-Co base cermet and the lowest microhardness was about 220 HV which was related to steel base metal. Also, the maximum tensile-shear strength of the bonded samples was about 180 MPa for a bonded sample at a bonding time of 15 min, which was due to the increase in the volume fraction of iron-rich solid solution, as well as proper microstructural continuity and the presence of an optimal amount of copper-rich phase in the microstructure.

The dissimilar joint of alumina to copper with active filler metals Ag-Cu-Ti-Sn and Ag-Cu-Ti-Sn-%3.5Zr were done using the induction brazing process at temperatures of 840 and 860 ℃ for 15 minutes. The microstructures of joints were evaluated using optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Vickers hardness test and shear tensile strength test were used to evaluate the mechanical properties. The results of the microstructural studies showed that the Al2O3/Cu joints using Ag-Cu-Ti-Sn and Ag-Cu-Ti-Sn-%3.5Zr fillers contain a reaction layer at the interface between alumina and the filler metal. At the area of the reaction layer with Ag-Cu-Ti-Sn filler metal, two TiO and Cu3Ti3O phases were observed, and also at the reaction layer with Ag-Cu-Ti-Sn-%3.5Zr filler metal, two TiO and ZrO2 phases were observed. The results of the shear strength test showed that due to the greater thickness of the filler metal and the lower thickness of the reaction layer, the joint with the filler metal Ag-Cu-Ti-Sn-%3.5Zr (14 MPa) has a higher shear strength as compared with the joint with filler metal Ag-Cu-Ti- Sn (9 MPa).

Soldering plays a crucial role in the electronics industry, driving the need for constant improvements in physical and mechanical properties and the management of intermetallic compound formation. Research in composite materials aims to achieve a uniform distribution of reinforcing particles within solder matrix to enhance their performance. This study investigates the integration of cobalt microparticles into SAC0307 lead-free soft solder alloy using the accumulative roll bonding (ARB) method. Microstructural analysis confirmed a homogeneous dispersion of cobalt particles within the solder after three ARB passes. Moreover, increasing cobalt content led to a reduction in the size of Cu₆Sn₅ intermetallic compounds, from 9 µm to 5 µm with 1% cobalt by weight. Examination of β-Sn grain morphology revealed the impact of cobalt particles on recovery and recrystallization kinetics in the solder. Mechanical testing indicated a 20% decrease in interlayer strength within composite solder sheets. Tensile tests showed a 28% increase in strength and a 31% decrease in elongation for composite solder alloy containing 1% cobalt. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results revealed minimal change in the melting temperature of composite solder foil.
 

In this research, the influence of friction stir welding parameters (tool traverse speed ranging from 50 to 150 mm/min, and tool rotational speed ranging from 300 to 1100 rpm) was investigated on the microstructure and mechanical properties of AA5052 aluminum/PP-Z30S polypropylene joint. Results showed that joint formation was accompanied by the formation of mechanical locks in the shape of anchor-like aluminum pieces. Decreasing the heat input (either by increasing the tool traverse speed or decreasing the tool rotational speed) resulted in the formation of larger anchors. The results of tensile-shear test showed that increasing the tool traverse speed from 50 to 100 mm/min led to an enhancement in the fracture load (by ~10%), while at higher traverse speeds, the fracture load decreased (from 235 to 181 N) due to the formation of defects and voids at the joint interface. An increase in the tool rotational speed from 300 to 900 rpm resulted in a superior fracture load (by 70%) due to the formation of anchors perpendicular to the polymer surface with greater penetration depth.

In this study, 316L stainless steel and WC-10Co cermet were bonded by transient liquid phase process with BNi-2 interlayers with different thicknesses of 25 and 50 μm. The bonding process was conducted at 1050 °C for 1, 15, and 30 min. After bonding, the microstructure of the joints was examined using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Microhardness and tensile-shear tests were also performed to study the mechanical properties of the bonded samples. Microstructural analyses revealed that the formation mechanism of the solidified region in all samples was isothermal solidification, resulting in an isothermal solidification zone upon bonding. Additionally, the only phase present in the isothermal solidification zone was a nickel-based solid solution. In the diffusion-affected zone of the steel base material, complex borides formed regardless of the interlayer thickness. In the diffusion-affected zone of the WC-Co material, a brittle eta phase formed. Microhardness tests indicated that the maximum hardness in all samples was approximately 1100 Vickers, which was attributed to the presence of hard WC particles in the WC-Co base material. Furthermore, the highest tensile-shear strength, approximately 240 MPa, was observed in the bonded sample for 15 min with 50 μm thickness interlayer.

In this study, formation of Fe3Al and (Fe,Cr)₃Al intermetallic compounds and the effect of Cr on microstructural and mechanical properties of Fe-Al cladding system such as hardness and wear resistance, were evaluated. For this purpose, first, iron and aluminum powders were mixed in the first series without chromium powder and in the second series with the addition of chromium powder in high energy planetary ball mill, and Fe3Al and (Fe,Cr)3Al intermetallic compounds were synthesized. The preplaced powders were cladded on the surface of CK45 steel using gas tungsten arc welding process. The microstructure, formed phases and properties of the cladded layers were studied by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, X-Ray Diffraction, micro and macro hardness, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and pin on disk wear test at 25, 250, and 500ᵒC temperatures. It was found that the microstructure of Fe-Al binary cladding contained Fe3Al dendrites with non-epitaxial growth. This non-epitaxial growth results from the difference in the chemical composition of the coating and the substrate at the interface between the coating and the substrate, which has caused the formation of new crystals at the interface. However, the microstructure of Fe-Al-Cr ternary cladding contained martensitic blades within (Fe,Cr)₃Al matrix. The results of hardness tests revealed that the hardness of ternary cladding is twice as compared with the binary cladding (30 and 60 HRC for binary and ternary claddings, respectively). Also it was found that the presence of Cr element in Fe-Al cladding improved the wear resistance of deposited layers. The predominant wear mechanism of Fe3Al pin was adhesive, while for (Fe,Cr)₃Al pin moreover adhesive wear, micro-plowing abrasive wear was also seen. The mass losses of both pins were maximum at ambient temperature and minimum at temperature of 500 oC.

In this research, the effect of nickel powder as an interlayer and the tool penetration depth on the microstructure and mechanical properties of lap joints between aluminum 1050 (top sheet) and pure copper (bottom sheet), both with a thickness of 2 mm, was investigated. Nickel powder was added through a machined groove with a width and depth of 1 mm at the base of the aluminum sheet. Friction stir lap welding was performed using a hot work steel tool with a shoulder diameter of 16 mm, a pin diameter of 4 mm, a pin height of 2.1 mm, a rotational speed of 950 rpm, a feed rate of 85 mm/min, a tool tilt angle of 2°, and varying tool penetration depths of 0, 0.05, and 0.1 mm. The results revealed that in the sample with a 0 mm penetration depth, due to insufficient heat generation, defects such as tunnel voids were formed. Increasing the penetration depth to 0.05 mm resulted in the formation of uniform and thin intermetallic layers, including Al3Ni2, Al7Cu4Ni, and Cu3.8Ni at the interface, which enhanced joint quality and increased tensile strength to 185.2 MPa with a fracture strain of 8.7%. In the sample with a 0.1 mm penetration depth, thicker and less uniform intermetallic layers were formed, which, despite locally increasing hardness, led to a decrease in tensile strength and fracture strain to 136.6 MPa and 6.7%, respectively. This study demonstrates that under the conditions of this research, a tool penetration depth of 0.05 mm provides the optimal conditions for FSLW of aluminum-copper alloys using nickel powder.

In this research, the effect of heat input on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the joint of two dissimilar steels D6AC and VCN 200 steel was investigated. For this purpose, the samples were welded with the current intensity of 130, 145 and 160 Ampers by GTAW process and using ER120 SG welding wire with a diameter of 2.4 mm. The metallographic results showed that the microstructure of the weld metal consisted of  lath martensite and acicular ferrite phases, which increased the volume fraction of ferrite from 5 to 32% with the increase of heat input, and the morphology of the ferrite changed from acicular to polygonal ferrite due to the decrease in the cooling rate. The HAZ area microstructure consist of bainite, lath martenrite and ferrite. The highest strength value was obtained in the welded sample with low heat input. With the increase of heat input, the tensile strength has decreased from 1154 to 965 MPa. Also, with the increase of heat input, the impact energy has increased in the welding zone due to the increase of stable phases, and in the HAZ zone due to the growth of the primary austenite grains and the reduction of the grain boundary locking effect. The results of the fracture analysis showed that the fracture occurred in the weld zone with low heat input, brittle fracture, and in the HAZ area, combination of ductil and brittle fracture occurred. With the increase in heat input, dutil fracture occurred in the welding zone and brittle fracture occurred in the HAZ zone due to grain growth.

In this research, copper/silver-silicon carbide Cu-Ag-SiC composite was prepared by the friction stir processing (FSP). For this purpose, nanometer and micrometer SiC particles were used as reinforcing particles. In order to evaluate the microstructural properties, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscope and optical microscope were employed. Evaluation of mechanical properties through microhardness measurement, tensile test and pin on disc test were utilized to evaluate the wear behavior of the composite. The results of X-ray analysis revealed the presence of two phases of CuAg solid solution along with SiC particles, which indicated the formation of Cu-Ag-SiC composite. The addition of nano-particles led to a significant decrease in the intensity of peaks compared to micro-particles. This indicated a decrease in the grain size of the CuAg matrix. Using the FSP in the presence of reinforcing particles and without it led to a decrease in the crystal size and average grain size compared to the sample without FSP. So that the grain size of the sample without FSP and the FSPed sample without reinforcing particles and with nano-reinforcing particles were found to be about 46.3, 19.2 and 3.6 µm, respectively. The wear mechanism in the sample before FSP was adhesive wear due to its soft nature of the matrix, and after FSP in the sample without reinforcing particles, the adhesive wear decreased and due to the addition of silicon carbide micro and nano- particles reinforcement, the wear mechanism in entirely altered to abrasive wear. Overall, it can be stated that the addition of silicon carbide nanoparticles by FSP leads to the fabrication of  Cu-Ag-SiC composite with high mechanical properties.

In this research, the mechanical and microstructural properties of AISI 316L sheets welded by RSW method using copper interlayer were investigated. In this regard, two types of connections were made, one without the use of an interlayer and the other with the use of a copper interlayer in different currents. In order to choose the optimal current for both types of connections, tensile tests were first performed, and microstructural, microhardness, elemental evaluation and failure mode tests were conducted on the selected samples. According to the obtained results, by increasing the electric current, the heat input in the welding pool is sufficiently high and the microstructural and mechanical properties of the welding zone were improved(Conversion of coarse grain to fine grain). Also, due to the optimality of the electric current in both samples with and without the interface layer, both samples had environmental failure, which indicates the high strength of the interface and their welding point. Changes in the chemical composition in different welding zones were insignificant and the distribution of elements was uniform in all zones. Also, the hardness changes from the base metal to the center of the welding zone were in the order of welding zone > base metal > heat-affected zone, which was consistent with the results obtained from the microstructural investigations. According to the results obtained for both cases with and without the use of an interface layer, the resistance spot welding method showed a successful connection for both types of cases.

Nowadays, in order to achieve the combined properties of multiple alloys for important applications such as automotive and marine industries, the use of cladding method is common. Cladding, which is a type of coating through welding, is one of the widely used methods for surface modification of metal parts and sheets in industry. AH36 low-alloy steel is a steel used in shipbuilding, known for its toughness and good corrosion resistance, making it a significant condidcate among other steels used in this industry. In this research, to enhance the corrosion properties of AH36 steel, the cladding process was performed using Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) with copper/nickel filler wire. Two samples, one from the coated (weld metal) and one from the uncoated (base metal) sections, were prepared and subjected to microstructural and corrosion investigations. The results indicated an increase in grain size in the heat-affected zone of the weld metal sample, leading to a reduction in mechanical properties. The cyclic polarization test showed that the base metal had higher susceptibility to pitting corrosion compared to the weld metal. Additionally, the weld metal exhibited a higher tendency for repassivation or repairing of the pits. The results of the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) test indicated that both the base metal and weld metal samples had a single-loop equivalent circuit. The larger diameter of the Nyquist semicircle for the base metal compared to the weld metal suggests better uniform corrosion behavior of the base metal relative to the weld metal.

Despite rapid advancement of additive manufacturing methods in recent years, sufficient research on bonding of additively manufactured materials to conventional alloys has not been conducted. This study evaluates the bonding between austenitic stainless steel L316 and Ti-6242 alloy, fabricated by electron beam melting, using the transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding method. The TLP bonding was achieved using a copper interlayer and processing in a vacuum furnace, examining the effects of process time and surface roughness on bond quality. The samples were characterized by optical and scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, shear strength testing, and surface roughness measurement. Results showed that reducing the surface roughness increased the shear strength. Additionally, processing time significantly affected the element diffusion, formation of intermetallic compounds like FeTi and TiCu, and the shear strength of the joints. The highest shear strength of 200 MPa was obtained with surface preparation by grinding and polishing and bonding at 980°C for 120 minutes.

Plain carbon steels are widely utilized in various industrial applications primarily due to their low cost. However, these steels often fall short in terms of mechanical properties and wear resistance. The deposition of hard and wear-resistant coatings on these steels significantly enhances their performance and extends their range of applications. Colomonoy 6, is a nickel-based superalloy, enhance hardness, erosion resistance, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance on the applied surfaces. The study investigated the application of weld overlay using colomonoy 6 on a plain carbon steel, aimed to create a hard and wear-resistant surface. The overlaying processes were performed using plasma transfer arc welding and gas tungsten arc welding under identical conditions. Microstructural characteristics were examined through optical and electron microscopy, and Phase analysis was performed using X-ray diffraction technique. The wear behavior of the weld overlays was evaluated using pin-on-disc wear testing at three different temperatures: 25 °C, 300 °C, and 600 °C, using an alumina pin. The microstructural investigation revealed the formation of dendritic nickel-rich solid solutions and interdendritic carbide and boride phases within the overlays, contributing to improved hardness and wear properties. Results demonstrated that in both overlaying methods, the wear mechanism at room temperature was mild abrasive, whereas at 600 °C, it was plastic deformation, exhibiting a wear track depth of approximately 33-35 μm, and 50-55 μm, respectively. In both overlayed metals, an approximate Vickers hardness number of 600 was measured a 4-fold increase in hardness of substrate. This finding suggests that factors other than hardness, such as microstructural stability and phase distribution at elevated temperatures, play significant roles in wear performance.

Nickel base superalloy IN738LC is widely used in power plant industry and gas turbine blade manufacturing. The main strengthening mechanism of this alloy is the precipitation hardness caused by γ′ precipitates. These precipitates play an important role in determining the mechanical properties of this alloy and their amount and morphology changes under heat treatment. In this research, in order to investigate the evolution of γ' precipitates during heat treatment, a number of solution annealed samples were subjected to arc heat treatment. In this heat treatment, by applying heat caused by a static arc, a temperature ranges from the ambient temperature to above the melting point is created in the sample. Using this process, samples with 100 amp currents were heat treated for 1, 2 and 15 minutes. Electron microscope, image processing and transient heat transfer model with axial symmetry were used for experimental and mathematical investigations. In the following, using the experimental and numerical results simultaneously, a mathematical model for the dissolution kinetics of γ' precipitates in the heat-affected zone of these welds was presented. The results of electron microscopy showed that the dissolution rate and shape of γ′ precipitates are strongly influenced by the distance from the heat source. The activation energy of dissolution of γ′ precipitates increased with increasing time and its value was between 40 and

Eutectic tin-zinc solder can be a suitable replacement for tin-lead solder due to its low cost, suitable melting temperature, and desirable mechanical properties. However, due to the high vapor pressure of zinc, manufacturing this alloy using the melt method is very difficult and expensive. In this study, Sn-8.9%Zn lead-free solder was fabricated using the angular accumulative extrusion method of tin sheets and zinc powder in 10, 12, and 15 passes, and characterized. Microstructural investigations were performed using optical and scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. The shear strength and hardness of the solders were also measured. The results showed that after 12 passes, the dispersion of zinc powder in the tin matrix was improved, and the dissolution of zinc was confirmed by a decrease in the XRD peak intensities. However, after 15 passes, cracks appeared in the structure. The shear strength of the tin-zinc solder joint was about 60% higher than that of commercial tin-lead solder. The wetting angle of this solder on copper was measured to be 21 degrees, and its electrical resistance was measured to be 4.1 nanoohms, which is within the acceptable range for electronic applications, although it has a weaker performance compared to tin-lead solder.

In this study, components made of titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V are produced using the selective laser melting process. Additionally, effects of laser power, laser scanning speed, and the amount of overlap between adjacent layers on the surface roughness of produced parts are investigated using design of experiment method based on response surface methodology. The results indicate that surface roughness of components created by selective laser melting process first decreases with an increase in laser power and then increases with further increases in laser power. Moreover, increasing the laser scanning speed leads to an increase in surface roughness of produced components. Furthermore, as the overlap of adjacent layers increases, the roughness of produced parts initially decreases and then increases. To achieve components with the least surface roughness, optimization of the process input parameters was conducted, revealing that with a laser power of 150 watts, a laser scanning speed of 500 mm/s, and an overlap amount of 67.8 microns, components made from the titanium alloy Ti-6Al-4V can be produced with a minimum surface roughness of 1.44 microns using the selective laser melting process.

This experimental-statistical study investigates the influence of laser cladding parameters—laser power (700–900 W), scanning speed (6–8 mm/s), and wire feed rate (70–80 mm/min)—on the geometric characteristics of single-pass coatings of 2507 duplex stainless steel on a VCN200 substrate. Experimental data were analyzed using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a three-factor, four-level design matrix. Measurements including clad width (W), height (H), penetration depth (b), wettability angle (Z), and dilution percentage (D) were obtained via ImageJ software. Results indicated that increasing laser power from 700 to 900 W led to a 14% increase in clad width (from 1417 to 1744 µm), a 33% rise in clad height (from 450 to 594 µm), a 6% increase in penetration depth (from 88 to 93 µm), and a 3% improvement in wettability angle (from 71° to 69°). In contrast, increasing scanning speed from 6 to 8 mm/s reduced clad width by 12% (from 1513 to 1787 µm), clad height by 31% (from 650 to 573 µm), and wettability angle by 15% (from 67° to 78°), while enhancing penetration depth by 4% (from 85 to 84 µm) and dilution by 19% (from 58% to 53%). Moreover, raising the wire feed rate from 70 to 80 mm/min increased clad height by 13% (from 502 to 747 µm) and wettability angle by 4% (from 75° to 78°), but decreased dilution by 19% (from 59% to 48%).

In this study, the effect of friction stir welding on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Fe-24Ni-4Cr austenitic steel was investigated. For this purpose, a sheet with a thickness of 1 mm was subjected to friction stir welding using a WC-5%Co tool at a traverse speed of 100 mm/min and a tool rotational speed of 450 rpm. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) analysis revealed that this process led to grain refinement and an increase in high-angle grain boundaries in the stir zone, attributed to dynamic recrystallization during welding. Phase maps indicated an increase in the BCC phase fraction in the stir zone compared to the base metal. Given the high strain rate and the presence of stabilizing elements, this phase was primarily strain-induced martensite. Mechanical property assessments showed a significant increase in the tensile strength of the stir zone (450 MPa) compared to the base metal (350 MPa). Moreover, the yield strength of the stir zone (388 MPa) was substantially higher than that of the base metal (145 MPa), which can be attributed to grain refinement, an increase in high-angle grain boundaries, a higher dislocation density, and martensite formation. However, the ductility of the stir zone decreased due to higher stress concentration and dislocation density in this region. These findings suggest that friction stir welding can be an effective method for enhancing the strength and hardness of austenitic steels, but process conditions must be carefully controlled to prevent reductions in toughness and ductility.