Evaluation of interfacial microstructures in dissimilar joints of aluminum alloys to steel using nanoindentation technique

Abstract

The characteristics of interfacial microstructures with additional elements in dissimilar 6000 system aluminum/steel joints were basically evaluated using tensile test, EPMA, TEM and nanoindentation. For Si (and Cu)-added alloy (S1 and SC), EPMA analysis showed that Si (and Cu) was enrichment in the reaction layers, which were formed during diffusion bonding. SAED pattern clarified that the reaction compounds at the interface changed from AlFe intermetalic compounds to AlFeSi intermetalic compounds by Si addition. Nanoindentation technique was successfully applied to the interfacial microstructures to understand directly the nanoscopic mechanical properties in the interfacial microstructures. The hardness and Young's modulus of Al3Fe intermetalic compounds was lower than those of Al2Fe5 intermetalic compounds. Moreover, the hardness and Young's modulus of AlFeSi(Cu) compounds were lower than those of Al3Fe, indicating that the crystal system changed from orthorhombic structure to cubic structure. Joint strength of SC/steel joints was higher than that of the aluminum alloy with no additional element (Base)/ steel joint, indicating that interfacial microstructure was modified by the addition of Si and Cu to the 6000 system aluminum alloy. These results suggest that the nanoscopic mechanical properties at the interface microstructures affect greatly the macroscopic deformation behavior of the aluminum /steel dissimilar joints.