Abstract
In the present study, silicon carbide nanoparticles were incorporated into AZ31B magnesium alloy welded joints using the friction stir welding technique at five different stir zone volume fractions. The volume percentage of nano-SiC was varied from 0–20% in increments of 4%. Initially, the microstructure analyses of the V4, V8, and V12 welded joints were observed to be in good accordance with a homogeneous dispersion of nano SiC particles within the stir zone (SZ). Moreover, the particle’s agglomeration and large cluster size were found in the SZ due to insufficient heat generation of the specimen’s V16 and V20 during friction stir welding (FSW). Furthermore, the tensile and microhardness test was conducted, and the results indicate that the volume fractions increase along with the ultimate tensile strength and average microhardness, which increases up to 12% SiC addition (V12). With this effect, the fracture morphology was examined in the nano-composite joints that revealed a brittle fracture mode, which was observed in specimens V16 and V20, and the remaining was in the ductile fracture mode. From this investigation, a significant enhancement was found in the weld nugget zone that the tensile strength value of the V12 specimen was improved by 21% compared to the welded joint without SiC.
Highlights
Fuel economy is an important issue in automotive industries due to the high weight on the body structures [1,2]
The AZ31B/Al2 O3 nano composite layer was fabricated, and it was reported that the multiple friction stir processing (FSP) passes and various tool pin profiles significantly influenced the distribution of the Al2 O3 particles
SiC particles, accumulations were observed weld nugget zones, wereV16 attributed twosevere important phenomena—the non-deformable in the weld nugget zones, which were attributed to two important non-deformable particles that acted as barriers to the free flow of plasticized
Summary
Fuel economy is an important issue in automotive industries due to the high weight on the body structures [1,2]. Sun and Fujii et al fabricated Cu/SiC composite welded joints obtained through the FSW process and observed that the SiC reinforced welded joint was completed in the copper surface without any defect They reported that a considerable amount of nugget zone strength was improved [12]. Friction stir processing (FSP), an outcome of FSW, has emerged as a promising technique used to synthesise nano- and micro-sized reinforcements into the matrix alloy and fabricate surface composites [14]. By adopting this technique, the AZ31B/Al2 O3 nano composite layer was fabricated, and it was reported that the multiple FSP passes and various tool pin profiles significantly influenced the distribution of the Al2 O3 particles. The deliberate effect of the SiC particle’s distributions and stir zone volume fraction on the microstructure and mechanical properties of magnesium matrix composite joints is established
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