Bonding strength and microstructural features of Al5083-AZ31B alloys laminated sheet through friction stir additive manufacturing

Abstract

Industries such as aerospace, robotics, defence, light aircraft, and transportation are increasingly in need of lightweight and strong materials. Aluminium-magnesium alloys are the preferred choice due to their high strength and stiffness-to-weight ratios compared to traditional materials. This study utilized an innovative technique called friction stir additive manufacturing (FSAM) to develop a laminated sheet of Al5083-AZ31B alloys for multipurpose applications. The effect of the rotational speed of the tool is examined over the microstructural features and bonding strength of the lamination. The study examined the macrostructural and grain refinement results at the interfacial layer through light microscopy, FESEM and EBSD analysis. XRD test has been conducted and discussed in terms of crystallographic planes and chemical compounds at the interfacial layer. To validate the specimen’s bonding strength, tensile tests and Brinell hardness tests are conducted. The result reveals a higher ultimate strength of 297.25 MPa at 2000 rpm while lower strength is observed at 234.47 MPa for rotational speed at 1000 rpm. The maximum BHN of 71.1 is recorded at a rotational speed of 2000 rpm The strong interfacial compounds such as Al4Fe, and Mg2Al3 are supports the bonding strength and increase hardness.