Nickel-coated steel stud to aluminum alloy joints made by high frequency induction brazing

Abstract

Nickel-coated 45 steel studs and 6061 aluminum alloy with 4047 Al alloy foil as filler metal were joined by using high frequency induction brazing. The microstructure of Fe/Al brazed joint was studied by means of optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Results showed that 45 steel stud and 6061 aluminum alloy could be successfully joined by high frequency induction brazing with proper processing parameters. The bonding strength of the joint was of the order of 88 MPa. Ni coating on steel stud successfully avoided the generation of Fe-Al intermetallic compound which is brittle by blocking the contact between Al and Fe. Intermetallic compounds, i e, Al3Ni2, Al1.1Ni0.9 and Al0.3Fe3Si0.7 presented in Al side, FeNi and Fe-Al-Ni ternary eutectic structure were formed in Fe side. The micro-hardness in intermetallic compound layer was 313 HV. The joint was brittle fractured in the intermetallic compounds layer of Al side, where plenty of Al3Ni2 intermetallic compounds were distributed continuously.