Formation Of Intermetallic Compounds Research Articles

Investigation of Intermetallics Formation and Joint Performance of Laser Welded Ni to Al

In this paper, laser welding Ni to Al using pulsed wave (PW) and continuous wave (CW) lasers was investigated. Weld quality and strength were evaluated in terms of cross-section examination, intermetallic compounds formation, microhardness, shear test and 90-degree peel test. The results show that deep penetration welding Ni to Al causes high melting pool temperature and severe material mixing, which could result in dominant AlNi3 and AlNi intermetallics (IMCs) in the weld. These IMCs could significantly increase the hardness of the welding zone, but could also lead to the formation of defects, as well as reducing the ability to withstand the shear force and peel force applied to the weld. In comparison, using process optimization to maintain a shallow penetration or form a weld-braze joint, low melting pool temperature and minimum material mixing can be achieved. Hence, low-hardness Al3Ni IMCs are prevalent in the weld. This helps generate a defect-free dissimilar weld joint to withstand higher shear force and peel force. The findings show promising applications, such as the battery management system of electric vehicles, in which joining a Ni adaptor to an Al bus bar is required.

Preparation and characterization of nano-solder paste with high nanoparticle loading and their thermal and printing properties

A lead-free nano-solder paste has been successfully prepared by dispersing tin-silver (Sn–Ag) nanoparticles within a flux using planetary mixing, with nanoparticle loading up to 50 wt%. An aqueous chemical reduction method was used to synthesize the Sn–Ag alloy nanoparticles. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to image the morphology of the nanoparticles and the size was estimated to be an average of 19.6 ± 3.6 nm. Composition of the Sn–Ag nanoparticles was measured using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and their crystal structures were analyzed via x-ray diffraction (XRD). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements of the Sn–Ag nanoparticles, containing approximately 4 wt% Ag, showed an onset of melting at 219.8 °C and an endothermic peak at 222.5 °C. These measured values for the nanoparticles are slightly lower as compared to the corresponding bulk material. The synthesized Sn–Ag nanoparticles were dispersed within a flux using planetary mixing, forming a uniform nanosolder paste, and as high as 50 wt% nanoparticle loading was achieved. Multiple heating cycles of the Sn–Ag nanosolder paste via DSC showed 1.6 °C increase in the onset of melting between the first and fourth cycles. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the 50 wt% nanosolder paste showed a 76% retention of initial weight up to 250 °C and 56% up to 500 °C, indicating residual material remaining on solder materials after heating. The nanosolder paste was screen-printed and reflowed on Cu substrates in an inert environment. The cross-section of the interface was observed via FE-SEM for intermetallic compound (IMC) formation between the reflowed nanosolder paste and substrate, confirming that a metallurgical bonding has been achieved. Both Cu3Sn and Cu6Sn5 were observed in the interfacial layer.

Experimental Study of Steel-Aluminum Joints Made by RSW with Insert Element and Adhesive Bonding.

This work focuses on joining steel to aluminum alloy using a novel method of joining by resistance spot welding with an insert element based on anticorrosive steel in combination with adhesive bonding. The method aims to reduce the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds by using short welding times and a different chemical composition of the insert element. In the experiment, deep-drawing low-carbon steel, HSLA zinc-coated steel and precipitation-hardened aluminum alloy 6082 T6 were used. Two types of adhesives-one based on rubber and the other based on epoxy resin-were used for adhesive bonding, while the surfaces of the materials joined were treated with a unique adhesion-improving agent based on organosilanes. The surface treatment improved the chemical bonding between the substrate and adhesive. It was proved, that the use of an insert element in combination with adhesive bonding is only relevant for those adhesives that have a load capacity just below the yield strength of the substrates. For bonded joints with higher load capacities, plastic deformation of the substrates occurs, which is unacceptable, and thus, the overall contribution of the insert element to the load capacity of the joint becomes negligible. The results also show that the combination of the resistance spot welding of the insert element and adhesive bonding facilitates the joining process of galvanized and nongalvanized steels with aluminum alloys and suppresses the effect of brittle intermetallic phases by minimizing the joining area and welding time. It is possible to use the synergistic effect of insert element welding and adhesive bonding to achieve increased energy absorption of the joint under stress.

Nanocomposite Beta Nb50Ti based SWCNTs by FAST-SPS-FCT

The synthesis of β-type phase NbxTi (x= 50 at%) / SWCNTs (Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes) intermetallic matrix nanocomposite by mechanical alloying to ensure the effective distribution of (SWCNTs) within the matrix. It has been stated by several researchers that during ball-milling of NbxTi (x =50 at%) powder mixtures, Nb-Ti intermetallic compound formation occurs either gradually along milling time of mechanical allowing (MA), or suddenly through amechanically self-propagating reaction (MSPR), which occurs after a ignition time of MA. For this purpose, 0.4and 0.8 at% of SWNTs was added to the powder mixture after the completion of reactionbetween Nb and Ti. The obtained powders Nb50Ti intermetallic compound mixed with SWCNTs powder and then was also ball-milled. Bulk samples were compacted and then sintered by (FAST-SPS-FCT) method (Field Assisted Sintering Technics-Sparck Plasma Sintering- Furnace, Advanced Ceramics for High-Temperature) at the temperature range (1273-1473 °K) with some time that retained the integrity of SWNTs in the intermetallic matrix.Structural and mechanical and vibronic changes of the nanocomposites were investigated by X-ray diffractometery (XRD). Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) micrographs showed that the offered MA approach caused the SWNTs to be uniformly embedded in the in situ synthesized NbTi intermetallic matrix. Meanwhile better distribution of SWCNTs resulted in higher density of FAST-SPS-FCT bulk nanocomposite as well higher hardness up to 2.75GPa compared to 2.4 of Nb50Ti intermetallic alloy obtained after MA time. The total porosity, compressive strength, and compressive elastic modulus of the FAST-SPS-FCT manufactured material were determined as 7%, 600 MPa, and 120 MPa, respectively. The alloy’s and its intermetallic nanocomposite have Young’s elastic modulus is comparable to that of healthy cancellous bone which makes it applicable in the biomedical field. The in vitro biocomptability will be performed in the near future. The comparable results for the FAST-SPS-FCT nanocomposites were 3%, 650 MPa, and 130 MPa. The alloy’s elastic modulus is comparable to that of healthy cancellous bone. This difference in mechanical properties results from different porosity and phase composition of the bot β-phase NbxTi (x= 50 at%) and NbxTi (x= 50 at%)/SWCNTs intermetallic matrix nanocomposite. More other nanotechnologies applications of the nanocomposite will be focused in the study of the superconducting type I for the ITER Poloidal Field Coils by measuring of Jc (T, B) characteristics.

Changes in the physical and mechanical properties of aluminum depending on the composition of the alloying elements

Subject of research: the influence of the concentration and composition of alloying elements Mn, Ti, Cr, Y, Mo, W, V on the change in the aluminum recrystallization temperature.
 Purpose of research: to find the optimal concentration of alloying additives, at which the recrystallization temperature reaches its maximum value.
 Methods and objects of research: using the methods of thermodynamic analysis of binary state diagrams of aluminum with alloying additives, it has been established that the nature of the change in the recrystallization temperature depends on what type of eutectic or peritectic reaction the formation of intermetallic compounds belongs to. It is shown that aluminides act as alloy modifiers and impart high mechanical properties to products.
 Main results of research: it was found that for the AlMn system, the optimal content of Mn should be considered 0.2%, for the AlCr system, the maximum increase in the Al recrystallization temperature is observed at 0.6% Cr, for the AlY system, the mechanical properties of Al at elevated temperatures maximum at 1% Y.

Dynamics of intermetallics formation in the Al/Ni reactive wetting system

Due to the complexity of interfacial reactions during reactive wetting process at high temperatures, the intrinsic mechanism behind the formation and growth of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) is still unclear. This study presents insight into the possible formation of Al/Ni IMCs in the Al (l)/Ni (s) wetting system at 1023.15 K using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The reactive wetting process has been broadly classified into three regimes based on the Al/Ni interphase condition: fast spreading (mostly non-reactive), crossover (dissolutive), and slow-spreading (reactive). It is found that the intermetallic phases are nucleated during the dissolutive phase; however, the stable IMCs are formed during the reactive stage and are mostly composed of AlNi and Al3Ni5. The growth of IMCs in the radial direction shows the same behavior as the contact radius of the droplet, which is a significant increase of both the droplet radius and IMCs growth in the radial direction before the droplet reaches its quasi-equilibrium base radius. Quasi-equilibrium droplet radius occurs when changes in droplet radius are negligible. In a quasi-equilibrium regime, no significant change in droplet radius and IMCs growth is observed. In contrast, the IMCs growth in the normal direction shows the opposite behavior: the thickness of IMCs increases significantly during the quasi-equilibrium regime.

Significance of underwater friction stir welding on the weld integrity of thin sheets of aluminum (AA1050-O) and brass (CuZn34) joints

Classical friction stir welding (C-FSW), because of its solid-state joining nature, offers several benefits over traditional fusion welding for joining dissimilar materials. C-FSW conducted in open air, are affected by several weld flaws and thick Intermetallic Compounds (IMCs) that reduce the weld joint quality. In this study, FSW of thin sheets of aluminum alloy (AA1050-O) and brass (CuZn34) in lap joint configuration was performed in air and underwater. The main objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of underwater-FSW (UW-FSW) for obtaining aluminum and brass (Al-Brass) joints at different values of shoulder plunge depth (SPD) and tool rotational speed (N). To determine the effect of welding temperature at different values of SPD and N on the formation of weld joints, K-type thermocouples were used. Underwater welding reduced the welding temperature and thermal cycle time. The optical images of C-FSW joints revealed the presence of kissing bonds, wavy patterns, cracks, tunnels, and void defects. In UW-FSW, the faster cooling rate significantly reduced these weld flaws. Electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used for the microstructural characterization. EBSD and TEM results show fine microstructure and precipitates in UW-FSW specimens. The X-ray diffraction results demonstrated that the weld joint interface primarily consisted of Al-Cu & Cu-Zn IMCs in the form of Al4Cu9, Al2Cu, AlCu3, AlCu4, CuZn5, and Cu5Zn8. The amount of IMCs was less in the joints produced by UW-FSW. The obtained results were used to understand the variation in the weld strength of C-FSW and UW-FSW joints at different values of SPD and N. To further evaluate the interface of the Al-Brass weld joint, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed. EDS confirmed the presence of brass fragments in the stirred zone of aluminum substrate. TEM and SEM images illustrated fine precipitates and formation of thin IMC layers in UW-FSW. The tensile test result shows that the UW-FSW remarkably improved the joint strength. The percentage increase in the joint tensile strength for UW-FSW was found 42%, 30% and 50% higher than C-FSW for lower, medium and high heat input welding conditions. The lower heat input in UW-FSW significantly suppressed the formation of weld flaws and IMCs, which collectively improved the tensile strength of the weld joint.

Friction Stir Lap Welding of Inconel 625 and a High Strength Steel

The joining of dissimilar hard metals such as high-strength steel and nickel-based alloy is required for shipbuilding and offshore applications to enhance the strength, fracture toughness, and corrosion resistance of the exposed parts. However, the joining of these dissimilar alloys has remained a major challenge due to the limited solubility of Fe and Ni in each other, which commonly results in the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds. We present here a novel investigation on the joining of overlapped nickel-based alloy 625 and marine-grade GL E36 steel plates by friction stir lap welding (FSLW). The interface microstructure and its influence on joint strength are rigorously tested. The main bonding mechanism is found to be the mechanical mixing of Fe and Ni along the interface. The interface thermal cycles are computed by a three-dimensional numerical heat transfer model and their effects on the microstructure are examined. Multiple micro tensile specimens are extracted from the stir zone to examine the through-thickness variation in the stir zone properties. The welded joint is characterized further by evaluating the interface microhardness distribution, lap-shear strength, and surface residual stresses.

Влияние температуры на электронно-стимулированную десорбцию атомов лития с поверхности интерметаллидов Li-=SUB=-x-=/SUB=-Au-=SUB=-y-=/SUB=-

The effect of temperature on the electron-stimulated desorption of lithium atoms from the surface of 2D semiconductor LixAuy intermetallic compounds in the temperature range from 160 to 300 K was studied. LixAuy intermetallic compounds were formed during the deposition of lithium atoms on gold film 2 monolayers thick at room temperature. An island mechanism for the formation of LixAuy intermetallic compounds has been proposed. The decrease in the yield of electronically stimulated desorption of lithium atoms from the surface of LixAuy 2D semiconductor intermetallic compounds with decreasing temperature is associated with a decrease in the probability of capturing an excited electron into the conduction band into a local state near the bottom of the conduction band. The calculation by the density functional method showed that 2D LiAu layers form semiconductor compounds, the band width of which decreases with increasing thickness of the 2D LiAu layer.

Anchoring a Pt-based alloy on oxygen-vacancy-defected MXene nanosheets for efficient hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen reduction reaction.

Rational design and controllable synthesis of Pt-based materials with intimate interfacial contact open up the possibility for boosting the performance of the ORR (oxygen reduction reaction) and HER (hydrogen evolution reaction). However, it is still challenging to prevent the oxidation of Pt during the formation of alloys and to clarify the interfacial synergistic effects on the catalytic performance between Pt alloys and the dispersed substrate. Herein, the wet chemical stripping and intercalation methods were employed to synthesize a two-dimensional (2D) MXene with abundant defect sites, which can anchor Pt3Co/Pt3Ni nanoparticles and prevent the oxidation of Pt during the process of atomic rearrangement at high temperatures. The obtained Pt3Co/MXene and Pt3Ni/MXene displayed different phase compositions and alloying degrees on adjusting the annealing temperature. Electrochemical test results showed that the optimized HER and ORR electrocatalytic activities occurred at 700 °C. Compared with Pt3Ni/MXene-700, Pt3Co/MXene-700 exhibited an HER overpotential of 1.3 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm-2, and a Tafel slope of 27.11 mV dec-1 in 0.1 M HClO4 solution. Furthermore, Pt3Co/MXene-700 exhibited an ORR half-wave potential of 0.897 V, and a mass activity of 241.1 mA mg-1Pt in 0.1 M HClO4 solution. This can be attributed to the formation of intermetallic compounds in Pt3Co/MXene. The electronic structure analysis showed that the enhanced performance could be assigned to the electron-capturing capability of the MXene, less oxidation of Pt and synergistic interactions between the Pt alloy and the MXene substrate. These findings provide a new strategy for the synthesis of highly active HER/ORR catalysts and broaden the way for the design of MXene-based catalysts.

Distribution of the temperature in friction stir welding of aluminum and copper alloys

Friction stir welded are studied joints of pure copper M1 and aluminum alloy AD1. A technique for measuring the temperature was developed at the points of the weld. The results of measurement temperature are given in friction stir welding at various speeds of rotation of the welding tool (800-1000 rpm), welding speed (25-61 mm/min). The temperature reached in copper is about 60 K higher than in aluminum. The higher cooling rate of copper is due to the greater thermal diffusivity than that of aluminum. The maximum temperature in the copper reached 769 K, which was lower than the melting point of the eutectic in the Al-Cu system (821 K). The residence time above the temperature of formation of intermetallic compounds (623 K) is much shorter than the duration of the thermal cycle (50 s). With an increase in the welding tool rotation frequency from 800 to 1000 rpm, the maximum temperature near the pin increases from 650 to 769 K. At a tool rotation frequency of 800 rpm, the maximum temperature in copper achieved in the cycle is lower than the transition temperature to the superplastic state and is 764 K high heating and free cooling rates (50–145 K/s and 25–50 K/s) of the weld on the side of the copper alloy predetermine the short-term (from 5 to 15 s) stay of the metal in the temperature range of formation of intermetallic phases.

Numerical Model of Intermetallic Compound Formation in Resistance Spot Welding of Steel-Aluminum

Numerical Model of Intermetallic Compound Formation in Resistance Spot Welding of Steel-Aluminum

Advanced Welding of Dissimilar Materials for Aerospace and Automotive Applications

The aerospace and automotive sectors are now experiencing a growing need for lightweight and high-performance components. As a result, there is a significant interest in investigating new welding methods that can effectively fuse different materials. The process of welding different materials poses notable difficulties as a result of disparities in physical qualities, metallurgical attributes, and thermal expansion coefficients. The research starts by examining the rationales for employing diverse materials in various sectors, emphasising the benefits they provide in relation to decreased weight, greater fuel economy, and improved mechanical characteristics. Following this, the study explores a range of sophisticated welding techniques that have arisen in response to these issues. This paper examines several fusion welding techniques, including laser welding, electron beam welding, and friction stir welding. Each approach is discussed in detail, with a comprehensive description of its fundamental concepts. This discussion focuses on the advantages of each approach in relation to the reduction of heat-affected zones, the attainment of precise control over the welding process, and the minimization of intermetallic compound formation. The study also emphasises the use of case studies and practical instances to showcase the effective implementation of sophisticated welding techniques on dissimilar materials. The feasibility and efficiency of these approaches in combining incompatible materials, such as aluminium to steel, titanium to composites, and others, are exemplified by instances observed in the aerospace and automotive sectors.

Effects of Er addition and cooling rate on the corrosion resistance of Zn-5Al alloys

Galfan (Zn-5Al-RE) coating is widely used in high-strength steel wires. The effects of cooling rate and the adulteration of erbium (Er) on the microstructure and corrosion resistance of Zn-5Al alloys were investigated in this study. The results show that the Zn-5Al alloy is made up of the primary η-Zn phase and eutectic structure at a high cooling rate. As the cooling rate decreases, the corrosion current firstly increased and then decreased due to decrease of the primary η-Zn content , the appearance and grew of α-Al phase. Moreover, the addition of Er leads to the formation of Er-containing intermetallic compounds in the Zn-5Al alloy, reducing the size of the primary η-Zn and α-Al phase, decreasing the corrosion current density, and improving the density and compactness of the corrosion product.

Force enhanced wire laser additive manufacturing of aluminum and titanium alloys

Brittle intermetallic compound formation is typically difficult to avoid during fusion joining of dissimilar metals. In this paper, a new approach called force enhanced wire laser additive manufacturing is proposed to join aluminum and titanium alloys. Ti6Al4V titanium alloy single track was additively fabricated on AA7075 plate successfully, through two liquid pools of the wire and the substrate, separated by a buckled unmelted part of the wire, leading to a mechanically interlocked interface. The effects of manufacturing parameters including laser power, wire feeding speed, scanning speed and initial contact force between wire and substrate on the surface morphology, internal interface microstructure and formation of intermetallic compounds were investigated through high-speed camera, spectrometer, laser topography, optical imaging, SEM imaging, XRD characterizations along with numerical simulations at different scales. And the maximum tensile strength reached 380 MPa in the tensile test. The experimental and numerical results indicate that the thermal modulation approach can effectively control the formation of brittle compounds between titanium and aluminum alloys and that the initial contact force ensures a good bond between the two metals.

Microstructures and mechanical properties of AlCoCrFeNi2.1/6061-T6 aluminum-matrix composites prepared by friction stir processing

A novel 6061-T6 aluminum matrix composites reinforced by AlCoCrFeNi2.1 high-entropy alloy (HEA) were obtained using friction stir processing (FSP), and the resultant composites were further strengthened by T6 heat treatment. The effects of reinforcement phase content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of composites were investigated. The results indicate that AlCoCrFeNi2.1 HEA is suitable as a reinforcement material to strengthen the aluminum matrix, which effectively suppressed the formation and growth of intermetallic compounds unlike selecting pure metal particles as reinforcements. As the content of HEA reinforcement increased, the recrystallization degree of composites increased, while the grain size decreased. The continuous and dense interface zone shows sound metallurgical bonding between the aluminum alloy matrix and HEA particles. Owing to the low processing temperature of FSP, the drastic chemical reaction can be effectively avoided, and there were no intermetallic compounds formed at the interface. The hardness and tensile strength of the composites improved with the reinforcement content. Compared with friction stir processed-6061, the hardness and tensile strength of the composites with 15% HEA increased by 28.6% and 25.6%, which reached 72 HV and 222.9 MPa respectively. After T6 aging heat treatment, the hardness and the tensile strength reached 125 HV and 332.1 MPa, further improved by 73.6% and 49.0%, respectively. It shows that Hall-Petch and thermal mismatch strengthening played the significant positive influences to strengthening, and Orowan strengthening made the least contribution. The findings can promote the wide application of aluminum-matrix composites in the automotive, marine and aerospace industries.

Investigation of weld defects and mechanical properties of dissimilar friction stir spot welded dual phase (DP600) steel and aluminum alloy (AA 7075-T6) plates

DP600 steel and AA7075-T6 aluminium alloy plates were joined using the friction stir spot welding process. The effects of different tool rotational speeds on the mechanical properties, intermetallic compound formation and interface microstructure of welded joints were investigated. The highest lap shear tensile load was obtained from the samples joined at a rotational speed of 1040 rpm (6.5 kN). It was determined that the tensile load of the welded joint decreased with increasing tool rotational speed. XRD analysis performed on broken surfaces, the intermetallic phase was determined to be Al13Fe4. As a result of Vickers microhardness tests, the samples joined at 1320 rpm and 1500 rpm, in the structure of which intermetallic compounds were determined by XRD analysis, displayed higher hardness values. In addition, when scanning electron microscope images were examined, it was determined that the cracks observed in the samples and the porosity both increased with increasing tool rotational speed.

Optimization of processing parameters for pulsed laser welding of dissimilar metal interconnects

An experimental and numerical investigation is performed into the optimal processing parameters for the fabrication of aluminum and copper dissimilar lap joints using a pulsed laser welding (PLW) method with a wobble strategy. A circle packing design algorithm is first employed to select 43 representative combinations of the peak laser power and tangential welding speed. The selected parameters are then supplied to a computational fluidic dynamics (CFD) model of the PLW process to predict the melt pool geometry (i.e., interface width and penetration depth) and copper concentration. The simulation results are used to train three surrogate models to predict the melt pool geometry and copper concentration for any combination of the PLW parameters within the design space. Finally, the processing maps constructed using the surrogate models are filtered in accordance with three quality criteria to determine the PLW parameters that produce dissimilar joints with no cracks or pores in the fusion zone and enhanced mechanical and electrical properties. The validity of the proposed optimization approach is demonstrated by evaluating the shear strength, intermetallic compound (IMC) formation, and electrical contact resistance of experimental samples produced using the optimal welding parameters. The results confirm that the optimal parameters yield a high shear strength of 1209 N and a low electrical contact resistance of 86 µΩ. Moreover, the fusion zone is free of defects, such as cracks and pores.

Laser Additive Manufacturing of TC4/AlSi12 Bimetallic Structure via Nb Interlayer.

The TC4/AlSi12 bimetallic structures (BS) with Nb interlayer transition were fabricated by laser additive manufacturing (LAM). The results showed that the TC4/AlSi12 BS with Nb interlayer prepared with optimized process parameters can be divided into three regions (the TC4 region, Nb region and the AlSi12 region) and two interfaces (the TC4/Nb interface and the Nb/AlSi12 interface). The high melting point (Ti, Nb) solid solution formed in the Nb region acted as a diffusion barrier between the TC4 alloy and the AlSi12 alloy, thereby effectively inhibiting the formation of Ti-Al intermetallic compounds (IMCs). With the decrease of the laser output power for AlSi12 deposition, the NbAl3 IMC changed from layered to dispersed distribution, while γ-TiAl and Ti5Si3 IMC disappeared, thus significantly reducing the crack susceptibility of the BS deposited layer. The tensile strength of TC4/AlSi12 BS with Nb interlayer was about 128MPa, and the fracture was located near the Nb/AlSi12 interface.

Thermomechanical and Material Flow Analysis during Friction Stir Welding of Marine Grade Aluminum Alloy 5083

_ This research aims to depict the thermal history, residual stress distribution, axial force applied, and material flow behavior on aluminum alloy 5083 (AA5083) plates, during the friction stir welding (FSW) process. This alloy finds most its use in shipbuilding industries and for marine constructions. It has been developed using an explicit, fully coupled thermomechanical nonlinear finite element (FE) analysis approach. The analysis was performed to simulate the effect of three stages, namely plunging, dwelling, and welding, of the FSW process. The ABAQUS/Explicit program was used for the computational modeling. To build a reliable and computationally efficient FE model, features such as arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) formulation, adaptive meshing/ remeshing approach, mesh sensitivity analysis, and mass scaling have been introduced. The interaction between the tool bottom surface and the plate top surface was defined using a finite sliding and a sticking property. A Coulomb friction model with a temperature-dependent coefficient of friction (COF) was used to describe the tool-workpiece interaction. In addition, a small experiment was done with the following process parameters; a rotating tool speed of 875 rpm, a traverse speed of 60 mm/min, and a tool tilt angle of 0° to produce a defect-free butt joint to validate the numerically generated thermal profiles. The temperature was found slightly higher on the advancing side (AS). Residual stress distribution created over the whole width of the plates was also investigated. Introduction The introduction of friction stir welding (FSW) process by The Welding Institute in 1991 (Thomas 1991) drew much attention. During fusion welding of 5 mm AA5083 plates, the heat input should be very high. Because of this high input, a higher thermal gradient is produced, which leads to the formation of several intermetallic compounds (IMCs). Because of this IMC formation, the strength of the welded joint is reduced. However, the steep thermal gradient produced leads to the formation of finer microstructure near the weld bead and coarser along the base metal region. These results in the heterogeneity of the weld bead microstructure leading to less efficiency and accuracy of the weldment.