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Friction stir welding of aluminum to titanium: quest for optimum tool-offset, deformation of titanium, and mechanism of joint formation

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Abstract

In dissimilar friction stir welding (FSW), the influence of tool position with respect to the weld interface (tool-offset) on the microstructural evolution and its effect on joint formation, particularly considering the difference in deformation behavior of the two joining materials, has not been fully explored. This investigation highlights the influence of tool position in friction stir welding of titanium to aluminum and the mechanisms of microstructural evolution that leads to joint formation. It was observed that the tool position controls the deformation behavior and the mixing mechanism of the two metals in the weld nugget. In titanium, the deformation mechanism changed from the formation of “continuous flakes” to “finely distributed particles” when the tool offset was more toward the aluminum side. The deformation and fracture mechanism in titanium is mediated through the formation of adiabatic shear bands (ASBs). Furthermore, the amount of intermetallic phases formed is affected by tool offset. At the optimum tool offset the presence of Ti particles, intercalated particles, interfaces without defects, and controlled diffusion gives rise to improved tensile properties. The mechanisms involved in the joint formation process, such as deformation and distribution, are also discussed in this paper.

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The raw/processed data required to reproduce these findings cannot be shared at this time as the data also forms part of an on-going study. However, I am open to shear any particular data on request.

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Acknowledgements

Authors would like to express their gratitude to the Defense Research & Development Organization (DRDO; Project Grant No. DRDO/MME/ SVK/0618), Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD), India, and Boeing India for support and funding for this research. Additionally, we would like to acknowledge the Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, for providing the necessary facilities and financial support for this research work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arbegast Materials Processing and Joining Laboratory (AMP), South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, Rapid City, SD, 57701, USA

    Amlan Kar

  2. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560012, India

    Satish V. Kailas

  3. Department of Materials Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, 560012, India

    Satyam Suwas

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  1. Amlan Kar
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The authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Amlan Kar. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Amlan Kar. The authors read, revise, and approved the final manuscript.

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Kar, A., Kailas, S.V. & Suwas, S. Friction stir welding of aluminum to titanium: quest for optimum tool-offset, deformation of titanium, and mechanism of joint formation. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 128, 1943–1956 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-023-12065-x

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