Abstract
Two-mm-thick 6061 Al alloy plate to non-coated and coated Q235 steel plates, which were covered with Zn coating and Al–Zn coating, respectively, were successfully vacuum electron beam-welded, and a Fe–Al intermetallic compounds (IMCs) layer was formed at the interface. Compared with the Al/non-coated steel joint, Al/coated steel joints offered better lap shear tensile values, which were increased by around 37% and 29% from 1.83 to 2.51 kN (Al/Zn-coated steel joint), and to 2.36 kN (Al/Al–Zn-coated joint). The increase was mainly attributed to a longer effective bonding length through a better wettability and spreadability of liquid Al on steel surface. In all the cases, failure occurred at the Al/steel interface along the Fe2Al5 layer. It can be concluded that Zn element, consisting of coatings, has a positive influence on the improvement of wettability and fracture load value, and the main factors are acting as flux, changing atmosphere and reducing IMCs growth. On the other hand, Al–Zn coating, containing less Zn element, leads to a relatively worse wettability. However, Al-containing Zn coating can receive a productive result in reducing the vaporization of Zn coating in vacuum.
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