Microstructures and Electrical Resistivity of Aluminum–Copper Joints

Abstract

Using pulsed double electrode-gas metal arc welding, aluminum wires are joined to copper plates with fillers of different fractions of silicon. Two layers of different microstructures are formed near the Al-Cu interface: one consists of a hypoeutectic microstructure of α (Al) + Al2Cu, and the other consists of an intermetallic compound (IMC) of Al2Cu. Increasing the heat input causes increases in the thicknesses of the IMC layer and the layer of the hypoeutectic microstructure. Si suppresses the growth of the IMC layer and assists the growth of the layer of the hypoeutectic microstructure. The effects of the interface microstructures and chemical compositions on the electric resistivity of the joints are analyzed. The electric resistivity of the joints increases with the increase in the thicknesses of the IMC layer and the layer of the hypoeutectic microstructure. The law of mixture is used to calculate the electric resistivity of the joints, which is in accordance with the experimental results.