Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Grain Refinement of AZ31 Magnesium Alloy Weldments by AC Pulsing Technique

  • Published:
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The current study has investigated the influence of alternating current pulsing on the structure and mechanical properties of AZ31 magnesium alloy gas tungsten arc (GTA) weldments. Autogenous full penetration bead-on-plate GTA welds were made under a variety of conditions including variable polarity (VP), variable polarity mixed (VPM), alternating current (AC), and alternating current pulsing (ACPC). AC pulsing resulted in significant refinement of weld metal when compared with the unpulsed conditions. AC pulsing leads to relatively finer and more equiaxed grain structure in GTA welds. In contrast, VP, VPM, and AC welding resulted in predominantly columnar grain structures. The reason for this grain refinement may be attributed to the periodic variations in temperature gradient and solidification rate associated with pulsing as well as weld pool oscillation observed in the ACPC welds. The observed grain refinement was shown to result in an appreciable increase in fusion zone hardness, tensile strength, and ductility.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. I.J. Polmear: Mater. Sci. Technol., 1994, vol. 10, pp. 1–16.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. T. Asahina: J. Jpn. Inst. Light Met., 1999, vol. 49, pp. 595–99.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. X. Cao, M. Jahazi, J.P. Immarigeon, and W. Wallace: J. Mater. Process. Tech., 2006, vol. 171, pp. 188–204.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. V.R. Ryabov: Arc Welding of Aluminium and Magnesium Alloys, Backbone Publishing Company, Fair Lawn, NJ, 1998.

  5. R. Wilsdorf, R. Pistor, J.J. Sixsmith, and J. Huitang: Weld. J., 2006, vol. 85, pp. 42–43.

    Google Scholar 

  6. C.E. Cross, G. Ben-Hamu, D. Eliezer, and P. Xu: in Proc. 7th Int. Conf. Magnesium Alloys and Their Applications, K.U. Kainer, ed., Wiley-VCH, New York, NY, 2007, pp. 727–33.

  7. J.G. Garland: Met. Construct. Brit. Weld. J., 1974, vol. 6, pp. 121–26.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. G.M. Reddy, A.A. Gokhale, and K. Prasad Rao: J. Mater. Sci., 1997, vol. 32, pp. 4117–26.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. G.M. Reddy, A.A. Gokhale, and K. Prasad Rao: Mater. Sci. Technol., 1998, vol. 14, pp. 61–63.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. H. Yamamoto, S. Harada, T. Ueyama, S. Ogawa, F. Matsuda, and K. Nakata: Weld. Int., 1993, vol. 7, pp. 456–61.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. A.A. Gokhale, A.A. Tzavaras, H.D. Brody, and G.M. Ecer: in Proc. Conf. Grain Refinement in Castings and Welds, G.J. Abbaschian and S.A. David, eds., TMS-AIME, Warrendale, PA, 1983, pp. 223–47.

  12. P.R. Vishnu: Weld. World, 1995, vol. 35, pp. 214–15.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. T. Shinoda, Y. Ueno, and I. Masumoto: Trans. Jpn. Weld. Society, 1990, vol. 21, pp. 18–23.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. T. Mohandas and G.M. Reddy: J. Mater. Sci. Lett., 1996, vol. 15, pp. 626–28.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. S. Sundaresan, G.D.J. Ram, and G.M. Reddy: Mater. Sci. Eng., A, 1999, vol. 262, pp. 88–100.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. A. Grill: Metall. Trans. B, 1981, vol. 12B, pp. 187–92.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. D.W. Becker and C.M. Adams, Jr.: Weld. J., 1979, vol. 58, pp. 143s–149s.

  18. F. Matsuda, H. Nakagawa, K. Nakata, and R. Ayani: Trans. Jpn. Weld. Res. Inst., 1978, vol. 7, pp. 111–27.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. G.D.J. Ram, G.M. Reddy, and S. Sundaresan: Pract. Metallogr., 2000, vol. 37, pp. 276–88.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. F. Matsuda, K. Nakata, K. Tsukamoto, and S. Johgan: Trans. Jpn. Weld. Res. Inst., 1985, vol. 14, pp. 299–304.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. R. Vishnu, P.W.B. Li, and K.E. Easterling: Mater. Sci. Technol., 1991, vol. 7, pp. 649–59.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. S. Kou: Welding Metallurgy, 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons Publication, Hoboken, NJ, 2003.

    Google Scholar 

  23. T.J. McInerney, R.B. Madigan, P. Xu, and C.E. Cross: in Proc. 7th Int. Conf. on Trends in Welding Research, S.A. David, T. DebRoy, J.C. Lippold, H.B. Smartt, and J.M. Vitek, eds., Callaway Gardens Resort, Pine Mountain, Georgia, 2005, pp. 17–21.

  24. R. Padmanaban and V. Balasubramanian: Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China, 2011, vol. 21, pp. 467–76.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. L. Liu and C. Dong: Mater. Lett., 2006, vol. 60, pp. 2194–97.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Y. Hirata: Weld. Int., 2003, vol. 17, pp. 98–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. G.J. Davies and J.G. Garland: Int. Metall. Rev., 1975, vol. 20, pp. 83–105.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. G. Ben-Hamua, D. Eliezer, C.E. Cross, and T. Bollinghaus: Mater. Sci. Eng., A, 2007, vol. 452, pp. 210–18.

  29. J.A. Street: Pulsed Arc Welding, Abington Publishing Special Report, Woodhead Publishing Ltd., Abington Hall, Abington, Cambridge, U.K., 1990.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  30. M.H. Burden and J.D. Hunt: J. Cryst. Growth, 1974, vol. 22, pp. 109–16.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. C.E. Cross, Ø. Grong, and M. Mousavi: Scripta Mater., 1999, vol. 40, pp. 1139–44.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Ø. Grong and C.E. Cross: Mater. Res. Soc., 2000, vol. 578, pp. 431–38.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. B.P. Pearce and H.W. Kerr: Metall. Trans. B, 1981, vol. 12B, pp. 479–81.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. S. Kou: in Proc. Conf. on Recent Trends in Welding Science and Technology, S.A. David and J.M. Vitek, eds., Gatlinburg, TN, 1989, pp. 137–46.

  35. R. Busk: Treatise: Mater. Sci. Technol., 1989, vol. 31, pp. 663–79.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), Berlin, Germany for internal support of this research where this work was conducted, and they greatly appreciate the work of M. Marten for metallography, T. Michael for weld process development, and S. Brunow for temperature measurement during welding.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Joining Technology Group, Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), Singapore, 638075, Singapore

    N. Kishore Babu (Scientist)

  2. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA

    C. E. Cross (Staff Scientist)

Authors
  1. N. Kishore Babu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. E. Cross
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to N. Kishore Babu.

Additional information

Manuscript submitted October 13, 2011.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kishore Babu, N., Cross, C.E. Grain Refinement of AZ31 Magnesium Alloy Weldments by AC Pulsing Technique. Metall Mater Trans A 43, 4145–4154 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-012-1241-2

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-012-1241-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation