Intermetallic Layer Research Articles

Analysis of fatigue fracture mechanism of laser spiral welding of dissimilar metals of 6082 high strength aluminum alloy and DP980 high strength dual phase steel

This paper investigates the relationship between weld quality, influencing factors, microstructure and mechanical properties of laser spiral dissimilarity welding of 6082 high-strength aluminum alloy and DP980 high-strength dual-phase steel, focusing on the fatigue properties and fracture mechanism of 6082-DP980 dissimilar metal welded joints. The research shows that intermetallic compound layers (IMCs) dominate the fatigue crack initiation stage and part of the crack extension stage, two fatigue crack initiation modes are obtained, one is the main crack initiation mode along the FeAl and FeAl2 interlayer, and the other is the secondary crack initiation mode along the Fe3Al and FeAl interlayer. In the crack propagation stage, due to the diffusion of Fe and Al elements generated by IMCs during the welding process, solid solution strengthening, intergranular strengthening and grain boundary strengthening, in the fatigue crack propagation stage formed a hardened zone, hindering the main crack to continue to expand along the IMCs, the main crack shifted to the expansion of the 6082 base material, thus extending the fatigue life.

Microstructure, Mechanical and Fractographic behaviour of the Diffusion Welded Joints of AA2219 and Ti-6Al-4V for Propellant Tank Applications

Diffusion welding is an advanced joining process that assures the feasibility of joining dissimilar metal alloys without producing metallurgical impurities at the joint interface. Two significant aerospace alloys, AA2219 and Ti-6Al-4V, are diffusion welded for the various holding times (30-120 minutes) by keeping the bonding temperature and pressure constant. The effect of holding time on the microstructure of the diffusion welded joints is evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the diffusion behaviour across the joint interface is ensued by the line scan energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). The obtained results show that the hardness across the joint interface is increased with increase in holding time. Furthermore, the maximum shear strength of 143.58 MPa is achieved for the joint formed at the holding time of 90 minutes and reduced thereafter. The formation of a thick intermetallic layer at a higher holding time strongly affects the shear strength. It is evident from the resulting fractured surfaces that the joints predominantly failed at the bonding interface, showcasing the brittle kind of failure. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) study on the fractured surfaces substantiates the formation of AlTi, Al2Ti and Al3Ti intermetallic compounds.

Unveiling the strengthening effect of Nb in Ti3SiC2/Ti25Zr25Ni25Cu25 + Nb/GH3536 brazed joint

In order to achieve the ceramic/metal brazed joint with excellent mechanical properties, many kinds of high-entropy alloy (HEA) filler have been developed to acquire the joint. However, in some HEAs with high content of active element, such as Ti25Zr25Ni25Cu25 amorphous HEA, the metallurgical reaction between active element and base materials resulted in the formation of continuous intermetallics (IMCs) layer in the brazing seam inevitably, embrittling the brazed joint. In this study, Nb element was added into Ti25Zr25Ni25Cu25 amorphous HEA filler to improve the microstructure of Ti3SiC2/GH3536 brazed joint, promoting the application of Ti3SiC2 and GH3536 in the aerospace industry. After detailed characterizations, the strengthening effect of Nb in the brazed joint was unveiled. The formation of Nb-base solid solution in the brazing seam was achieved owing to the addition of Nb, which effectively inhibited the generation of large brittle IMCs bulk. Moreover, the Nb-strengthened ZrSi2 and Ni2Ti phases were generated in the reaction zone, which was also favor in promoting the mechanical properties of brazed joints. When Ti25Zr25Ni25Cu25 amorphous HEA filler with 20 vol% Nb was applied to braze Ti3SiC2 to GH3536, a maximum value of 85.36 ± 2.39 MPa for shear strength was achieved. This study illustrates the optimization mechanism of Nb in Ti25Zr25Ni25Cu25 +Nb composite filler and promotes the further application of Ti25Zr25Ni25Cu25 in brazing system.

Electrochemical behavior and microstructure of diffusion welding of zirconium alloy and super duplex stainless steel

In this study, the effect of welding temperature on interface microstructure, mechanical properties, and electrochemical behavior of diffusion welded joints (DWJs) of zirconium alloy (ZrA, Zr702 grade) and super duplex stainless steel (2205 duplex stainless steel grade) were investigated. Alloys were welded in a vacuum atmosphere at four different temperatures (800, 850, 900, and 925 °C) for 75min under 4MPa compressive pressure. The optical, scanning electron microscopy, electron probe micro-analyzer, and X-ray diffraction techniques were used to characterize the interfacial microstructure of the DWJs. Layers of intermetallics were formed along the welded interface at 850 °C and above welding temperatures. At 850 °C, a single reaction layer (phase mixture of ZrFe2+ZrCr2) was observed; however, bilayers (ZrFe2+ZrCr2 and Fe2Zr+FeZr3 phase mixtures), and triple layers (ZrFe2+ZrCr2, Fe2Zr+FeZr3, and β-Zr+FeZr3 phase mixtures) were observed at the welded interface of the joints processed at 900 and 925 °C, respectively. Width of the reaction layer (phase mixtures) increases with an increase in the welding temperature. The DWJs processed at 900 °C reach the maximum joint strength of ~312MPa along with ~6.4% ductility. For corrosion analysis, studies of the base alloys and DWJs in 0.1mol/L HCl and 0.1mol/L NaOH solutions separately using electrochemical techniques, such as open circuit potential, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and potentiodynamic polarization were undertaken.

ВЛИЯНИЕ ПЛАСТИЧЕСКОЙ ДЕФОРМАЦИИ НА РАСПРЕДЕЛЕНИЕ МИКРОТВЕРДОСТИ В СЛОИСТОМ КОМПОЗИЦИОННОМ МАТЕРИАЛЕ АМГ2-ВТ1

The effect of cold plastic deformation (rolling) on the change in the microhardness of layers of composite material AMg2-VT1 obtained by explosion welding at optimal conditions has been studied. Safe degrees of compression during rolling of a layered composite are recommended, which make it possible to process the composite material by pressure without obtaining a brittle intermetallic layer.

Evolution of Atomic-Level Interfacial Fracture Mechanics in Magnesium-Zinc Compounds Used for Bioresorbable Vascular Stents.

Bioresorbable magnesium-metal vascular stents are gaining popularity due to their biodegradable nature and good biological and mechanical properties. They are also suitable candidate materials for biodegradable stents. Due to the rapid degradation rate of Mg metal vascular scaffolds, a Mg/Zn bilayer composite was formed by a number of means, such as magnetron sputtering and physical vapor deposition, thus delaying the degradation time of the Mg metal vascular scaffolds while providing good radial support for the stenotic vessels. However, the interlaminar compounds at the metal interface have an essential impact on the mechanical properties of the bi-material interface, especially the cracking and delamination of the Mg matrix Zn coating vascular stent in the radially expanded process layer. Intermetallic compounds (IMCs) are commonly found in dual-layer composites, such as Mg/Zn composites and multi-layer structures. They are frequently overlooked in simulations aiming to predict mechanical properties. This paper analyses the interfacial failure processes and evolutionary mechanisms of interfacial fracture mechanics of a Mg/Zn interface with an intermetallic compound layer between coated Zn and Mg matrix metallic vascular stents. The simulation results show that the fracture mode in the Mg/Zn interface with an intermetallic compound involves typical ductile fracture under static tensile conditions. The dislocation line defects mainly occur on the side of the Mg, which induces the Mg/Zn interfacial crack to expand along the interface into the pure Mg. The stress intensity factor and the critical strain energy release rate decrease as the intermetallic compound layer's thickness gradually increases, indicating that the intensity of stress and the force of the crack extending and expanding along the crack tip are weakened. The presence of intermetallic compounds at the interface can significantly strengthen the mechanical properties of the material interface and alleviate the crack propagation between the interfaces.

SnAgCu Solder Joint Microstructure Evolution During Thermal Aging: Influence of Flux

An intermetallic layer (IML) between the solder alloy and the soldered surface affects the mechanical and electrical performance of the resulting joints. Numerous studies have explored the possibilities of influencing the IML to achieve more reliable interconnections. However, the type and composition of the used flux, crucial for the proper creation of solder joints, is rarely included as a possible influencing factor. In this article, a comprehensive study on the interfacial microstructure evolution of lead‐free SnAgCu solder joints, accounting for the flux type and the temperature of the preheating phase of reflow soldering, where the flux contained in the solder paste becomes active, is presented. In the results, it is shown that the IML of as‐reflowed and thermally aged solder joints depends significantly on the flux. The IML activation energy is 57% higher for rosin‐based low‐activity (ROL)0 flux compared to ROL1 flux. The ROL0 flux, containing fewer active components, also outperforms the ROL1 flux in both the mechanical and electrical properties of the joints. Furthermore, the temperature profiles also show slight differences in measured properties, with the fluxes responding differently to changes in preheating temperature. In the presented results, importance of the used flux on solder joint microstructure is demonstrated.

Simultaneous enhancement of strength and ductility of Al matrix composites enabled by submicron-sized high-entropy alloy phases

Our study investigated the reinforcing effect of submicron-sized (100–500 nm) Al0.5CoCrCuFeNi high-entropy alloy particles (HEAps) on the tensile properties of Al matrix composites. The HEAps were refined to the submicron-sized level via a thermal plasma process to maximize reinforcing efficiency by increasing specific surface (i.e., interface) area. The Al/HEA composites were produced by hot rolling of mechanically milled Al/HEA composite powder. The microstructural analysis demonstrated that the HEAps were uniformly dispersed within the Al matrix by forming a sound interface without interdiffusion brittle intermetallic layers or any noticeable voids. Moreover, the addition of 2 vol% HEAps resulted in a simultaneous increase in both yield strength from 355 to 403 MPa and tensile elongation from 1.3 to 3.3%. As a result, the composite experienced a synergistic effect due to the combination of intrinsic strengthening to promote uniform plastic deformation and extrinsic strengthening to mitigate plastic instability and crack propagation.

An enhancement of the yield strength and hardness in the friction stir welding of AZ31/AA3105 joint

The objective of this research is to optimize the yield strength and hardness of AZ31/AA3105 joint during the single pass friction stir welding (FSW). For this purpose, Taguchi method was used to examine the influence of FSW parameters such as rotating speed, linear speed, advancing side and shoulder diameter on the hardness and yield strength of the welding. The microstructure of the joint has also been analyzed by optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to evaluate the joint quality. The results of microstructure analysis indicated that a high quality joint with thin intermetallic layers obtained at rotating speed of 1100 rpm and linear speed of 30 mm/min. The optimization results indicated that the hardness (78.06 HV) and yield strength (129.2 MPa) can be improved simultaneously with the advancing side of Mg, rotating speed of 1100 rpm, linear speed of 30 mm/min, and shoulder diameter of 15 mm. The fracture surface of samples indicated that a combination of brittle and ductile fracture was occurred at rotating speed of 1100 rpm and linear speed of 30 mm/min, which improved the ductility and toughness. It was concluded from the obtained results that a high-quality joint with improved mechanical properties can be obtained between AZ31 and AA3105 alloys in the optimal conditions of FSW parameters.

Morphological Characterization and Tribological Properties of TiCoNi Alloy Coatings on Ti–6Al–4V Alloy via Laser Deposition

The goal of this work is to improve the Ti–6Al–4V alloy's hardness and tribological behavior. Coaxial laser surface cladding was used to develop intermetallic layers of nickel (Ni), cobalt (Co), and titanium (Ti). Laser power of 900 W, beam spot size of 3 mm, powder feed rate of 1.0 g/min, and gas flow rate of 1.2 L/min are the optimized parameters used for laser depositions. The laser scan speeds were adjusted between 0.6 and 1.2 m/min. Investigations were conducted into the effects of powder admixture and laser parameters on the fabricated coatings' microstructure, tribological behavior and hardness. X-ray diffractometry (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) with Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed for the characterization of the microstructural evolution and phase identification, respectively. Additionally, the tribological experiment was conducted via UMT-2 –CETR reciprocating tribometer, and the coatings’ micro-hardness characteristics were examined using EmcoTEST DURASCAN. The micrographs exhibit no signs of porousness, cracks, or stress introduction, according to the results. For every manufactured sample, good metallurgical adhesion was obtained. By comparing the hardness of the ternary coating (Co–Ni–10Ti deposited at a scan speed of 1.2 m/min, with a hardness of 980 HV) to the substrate (Ti–6Al–4V, with a hardness of 330 HV), a hardness increase of approximately 2.96 times was observed. Furthermore, the Co–Ni–10Ti coating, deposited at a scan speed of 1.2 m/min, demonstrated a 51.1% reduction in the coefficient of friction (COF) compared to the base alloy, indicating superior anti-wear performance. The enhanced properties are attributed to the formation of hard intermetallic compounds such as Ti–Co, Co2Ti, Al5Co2, and Ni3Ti, along with their uniform distribution and finely tuned grain sizes.

Effect of Cr on microstructure and high temperature oxidation resistance of Ti-Al-Si composite coatings prepared by two-step hot-dipping + pre-oxidation method on Ti65 alloy

Titanium alloys have a thermal barrier temperature of 600℃, however, the preparation of Ti-Al-Si coating is one of the effective methods to improve the high temperature oxidation resistance of titanium alloys. Due to the preferential combination of Si and Ti, it is difficult to form a Ti-Al alloy phase layer with excellent oxidation resistance at high temperature. In order to solve this problem, the two-step hot-dipping + pre-oxidation method was creatively used to prepare Ti-Al-Si composite coatings, and a small amount of Cr was added to improve the high temperature oxidation resistance of the coatings. The phase structure of the coating was analyzed by XRD. The microstructure of the coating was characterized by SEM. EDS was used to analyze the content and distribution of elements in the coating. The results shown that the Cr-added Ti-Al-Si composite coatings were in the sequence of Ti3Al layer, TiAl layer, TiAl2 + Ti5Si3 layer, Ti(Al,Si,Cr)3 layer, L-(Al,Si) layer, and Al2O3 layer from the substrate. Cr segregated on the Ti(Al,Si,Cr)3 phase boundary, and promoted the selective oxidation of Al to form Al2O3. The dense and continuous Ti-Al binary intermetallic layer can prevent cracks from spreading to the substrate, which further improves the high temperature oxidation resistance.

Interfacial microstructure and mechanical property of dissimilar resistance spot welded joint of TC4 titanium alloy and 316L stainless steel with nickel interlayer

Dissimilar materials of TC4 titanium alloy and 316L stainless steel were joined by means of resistance spot welding with nickel interlayer in different thicknesses. A significant enhancement in terms of nugget morphology quality with less defects was achieved for the welded joints with nickel interlayer compared with that without interlayer. With increasing the nickel interlayer thickness from 50 μm to 300 μm, the effective nugget diameter increased gradually from ∼4.8 mm to ∼5.2 mm, which was lower than that of the interlayer-free welded joint being ∼5.9 mm. A thinner intermetallic compound layer with dual-layered structure features with thickness of ∼11 μm was formed at the nugget/titanium interface in the welded joint with nickel interlayer compared with that of the interlayer-free welded joint, meanwhile an intermetallic compound layer with thickness of ∼3 μm was formed at the nugget/stainless steel interface, which exhibited serrated structure features. The introduction of nickel interlayer in the welded joint could suppress the formation of the brittle Ti–Fe intermetallics such as Fe2Ti, and facilitate the formation of TiNi, Ti2Ni and TiNi3. A more homogeneous current density distribution and a lower peak temperature (1809 °C) during welding were achieved via employing nickel interlayer. With increasing nickel interlayer thickness from 0 μm to 300 μm, the tensile shear load of welded joints experienced an increased tendency first and then decreased, meanwhile the maximum tensile shear load of 3.7 kN was obtained with the interlayer thickness of 200 μm, which was 61% higher than that of the interlayer-free welded joint.

The influences of nanoparticles on the microstructure evolution mechanism and mechanical properties of laser welded stainless steel/aluminum

In order to solve the problem of poor performance of welded joints of steel and aluminum dissimilar materials, this study proposes the use of ceramic particle-reinforced aluminum alloy as an alternative to traditional aluminum alloy for welding, effectively overcoming this problem. In this paper, the laser welding of stainless steel/6061 aluminum alloy (SA) and stainless steel/TiC–TiB2 duplex nanoparticle-reinforced 6061 aluminum alloy (SRA) was realized. The effect of ceramic nanoparticles on the microstructure and mechanical properties of SRA joint was systematically studied, and the strengthening mechanism of nanoparticles was revealed. Under the same process parameters, the melting zone of SRA joint is larger and the intermetallic compound (IMCs) layer is narrower. Moreover, the grain size of the brittle Fe–Al compound phase in the IMCs layer is significantly reduced, which effectively inhibits the initiation of cracks at the steel/aluminum interface. The study shows that ceramic particles have a pinning effect on the dislocations, limiting the grain growth, reducing the thickness of the intermetallic compound layer, and decreasing the content of the brittle FeAl3 phase. Moreover, ceramic nanoparticles promote the formation of Mg2Si strengthened phase at the grain boundary, further hinder the dislocation movement and improve the strength of the joint. Under the welding power of 3400 W and welding speed of 31 mm/s, SRA joint achieves the maximum tensile shear of 1718 N, which is 15% higher than the strength of SA joint.

Shear behavior of Cu/Al/Cu trilayered composites prepared by high-temperature oxygen-free rolling

The interfacial microstructure, interfacial shear properties, and shear fracture morphology of Cu/Al/Cu trilayered composites prepared by high-temperature oxygen-free rolling were studied, and the interfacial shear fracture mechanism was revealed. The results showed that the Cu/Al/Cu trilayered composites have a good metallurgical bonding interface. The interfacial microstructure is composed of Al2Cu, AlCu, and Al4Cu9. The intermetallics (IMCs) parallel to the rolling direction show discontinuous distribution, while the IMCs perpendicular to the rolling direction have mainly continuous distribution and occasional discontinuous distribution. The interfacial shear strength at room temperature can reach 68 MPa, and when the test temperature rises to 350 °C, the interfacial shear strength drops sharply to 16.9 MPa. The interfacial shear fracture mainly occurs in the low-strength Al layer due to the good metallurgical bonding interface. The IMCs near the shear fracture exhibit clear signs of cracking, and there is a phenomenon where the Cu layer embeds into the Al layer in a "sawtooth" shape. Meanwhile, shear fracture also occurs in the IMCs layer, and a small amount of Al will attach to the surface of the IMCs. However, the high bonding strength resulting from the excellent metallurgical bonding of the interface makes this type of shear fracture rare. The shear fracture of Cu/Al/Cu trilayered composites is mainly dominated by the fracture of the low-strength Al layer and the occasional fracture of the IMCs.

Understanding crack growth within the γ′ Fe4N layer in a nitrided low carbon steel during monotonic and cyclic tensile testing

Nitriding is a cost-effective method to realize simultaneous improvements in tensile and fatigue properties and resistance to abrasion and corrosion. Previous studies reported that nitriding pure Fe enhances tensile strength by ~ 70% and fatigue limit by ~ 200%. It is due to the increase in surface hardness caused by the formation of γ′(Fe4N) and ε(Fe2-3N) nitrogen-containing intermetallic compound phases. However, the intermetallic compound layer is prone to brittle-like cracking. To better design nitrided steels, it is crucial to identify the crack growth mechanisms via analysis of the microstructural crack growth paths within the ~ 4–6 µm thick nitride layer. In the current work, we statistically evaluate the crack propagation behavior in the γ′ Fe4N layer during monotonic and cyclic tensile deformation in nitrided low-carbon steel (0.1 wt% C). Since nitriding typically results in the formation of columnar grains, the effect of morphology needs to be clarified. To this end, the steel was shot-peened and subsequently nitrided to promote equiaxed nitride grains morphology (~ 16% increase). Crack growth paths were comparatively evaluated for multiple cracks, and no significant effect of nitride morphology was observed. {100}γ′ is the predominant transgranular crack path in the monotonic tensile tested specimen, followed by {111}γ′. It is despite the elastic modulus of {111}γ′ < {100}γ′. This contrary behavior is explained by {100}γ′ plane having the lowest surface energy (density functional theory calculations). In the cyclic tensile loaded specimen, experiments revealed that transgranular cracking along {100}γ′ (cracking via symmetric dislocation emission) or {111}γ′ (slip plane cracking) is equally likely.Graphical abstract

Effect of strain rate on tensile characteristics and failure behavior of Al/steel welded joint producing by a laser-MIG composite heating source

Studies on dynamic tensile characteristics for Al/steel dissimilar materials are crucial to ensure the integrity and dependability of light-weight structures. In this study, the tensile characteristics and failure behaviors of Al/steel laser-MIG welded-brazed joints were studied. The dynamic fracture mechanisms of the joints are discussed. With the increase in strain rate, the fracture mode and tensile properties of Al/steel joints with reinforcement changed. The joints exhibited two failure modes of heat-affected zone failure at lower strain rates and interface failure at higher strain rates. When the strain rate was 1000 s−1, the increase in dislocation density in the weld reinforcement and diversion of cracks in the intermetallic compound layer significantly enhanced the joint’s properties. The tensile and yield strengths reached 222.6 and 166.6 MPa, 6.5 % and 17.9 % higher than those at a stain rate of 1 s−1, respectively. For Al/steel joints without reinforcement, as the strain rate increased, the crack gradually grew to the Al8Fe2Si phase, leading to a notable enhancement in the joint’s performance. At a strain rate of 500 s−1, the maximum strength of the joint reached 238.3 MPa, representing an increase of 58.9 % in comparison to the strain rate of 1 s−1.

The use of nonlinear guided-wave features for detection and assessment of intermetallic compounds within dissimilar joints – an experimental investigation

Abstract Welding dissimilar materials is widely employed in industrial construction and manufacturing to enhance cost-effectiveness and performance, often utilizing non-fusion methods like solid-state and high-energy beam welding. However, a significant challenge is the formation of intermetallic compounds (IMCs) at the joint interface, which can weaken the bond and increase brittleness, leading to hidden internal cracks. Nonlinear ultrasound detection methods are employed as advanced, non-destructive testing techniques for early damage inspection in various materials. This research investigates the assessment of the thickness of the intermetallic layer within dissimilar joints using non-linear ultrasound-wave features. Numerical and experimental investigations were performed using four friction stir welding (FSW) lap joints, between AA5052-H32 aluminum and ASTM 516-70 steel, with various intermetallic thicknesses. The methodology involved examining the generation of second-order harmonic frequency by exciting Lamb waves (LW) at specific frequencies. To determine the necessary LWs' excitation frequency, synchronism, and non-zero power flux conditions were employed. The collected signals were measured and analyzed in the time and frequency domains to understand the behavior of the non-linear parameter β′ with the thickness of the intermetallic layer. The results show that β′ changes in a linear manner with the thickness of the intermetallic compound layer (several micrometers in thickness). This provides strong evidence that nonlinear LW features are sensitive to microstructural variations in the FSW joints, which enables them to effectively evaluate their strength.

Microstructure and properties of Zircaloy-4 alloy under low-temperature diffusion bonding with a Ni-plated surface

Zircaloy-4, which is used as a structural material for nuclear cladding, requires precise bonding at low temperature in nuclear power applications. We achieved this using diffusion bonding with Ni plating on the surface of Zircaloy-4. We evaluated the performance of joints at temperatures between 650 and 780 °C. At 650 °C, the joint was successfully bonded. The joint exhibited a maximum shear strength of 207 MPa at 780 °C, which was twice as high as that produced by direct diffusion bonding at 700 °C under the same parameters. The interface was analyzed by using a combination of SEM and TEM to identify the presence of multilayered intermetallic compound layers in the joints. We investigated the mechanism of interface generation and determined the sequence of phase formation by Gibbs free energy calculations to be NiZr, Ni10Zr7, NiZr2, Ni7Zr2, and Ni3Zr. Through X-ray diffraction and cross-section elemental analysis of the fractures, we observed that, at lower temperatures, the joint fracture tended to occur in the Ni layer, whereas at higher temperatures, it occurred between Ni7Zr2 and Ni3Zr. The utilization of diffusion welding with Ni plating applied to the surface of Zircaloy-4 reduces the joining temperature and enhances the properties of the joint.

Physical Simulation for Studying the Effect of Thermal Cycles Peak Temperature on Intermetallic Formation at Triclad Joints Interface

Aluminum/steel structural transition joints (STJs) are extensively used in the shipbuilding industry. This is because they offer the advantage of effectively combining these two materials, leading to substantial weight savings while maximizing their individual strengths. The research target is to evaluate the metallurgical properties of explosion‐welded Triclad aluminum/steel STJs under different peak temperature thermal cycles. Herein, the Gleeble physical simulator to apply thermal cycles on Triclad specimens with appropriate geometry is exploited. The results highlight that the peak temperature significantly affects the extension, thickness, and chemical composition of the intermetallic layer at the Fe/Al interface. An increase in peak temperature results in an increase in both the extension and thickness of the intermetalliclayer. The increase in peak temperature leads also to the formation of intermetallic compounds with a higher percentage of aluminum.

Effects of Main Alloying Elements on Interface Reaction between Tool Steel and Molten Aluminum

Effects of Si and Mg as main elements on interface reaction between tool steel and molten Al alloy at 700°C were investigated. Pure aluminum and Al-10mass%Mg alloy showed relatively simple interfacial layers, whereas thicker, multi-layered reaction bonds were found in the diffusion couple of A380 alloy. The diffusion of a large amount of Fe into Al matrix throughout the interfacial layer led to the formation of Al-Fe based intermetallic particles in the Al base metals. The diffusion couple of Al-10mass%Mg alloy showed a similar intermetallic layer as that of pure Al, indicating that 10mass%Mg in the Al melt rarely affected the formation of Al-Fe intermetallic layers. However, A380 alloy showed much expanded soldering area and increased thickness of intermetallic layers. Based on the phase diagram calculated, the solubility of Fe in liquid Al increased significantly with increasing Si content up to apploximately 5mass%, while, in the case of 10mass%Mg addition, the Fe solubility gradually decreased with increasing Mg content. Al-10mass%Mg alloy also showed the same tendency as that of pure Al in the formation and distribution of intermetallic compounds. However, in the Al-12mass%Si alloy, two types of Al-Fe-Si ternary compounds are present on the Al-rich side.