Abstract
The study aims at investigating the influence of grain size on microhardness across the thickness in the stir zone of 20-mm-thick AA5456-H112 plates joined by floating-bobbin-tool friction stir welding at various feed rates and spindle speeds. Contrary to the conventional friction stir welding, in all the joined samples, the grain size at the bottom layer was coarser than that in the top and middle layers of the stir zone, and the microhardness values were always higher in the top layer of the stir zone. It was found that the microhardness at the top, middle, and bottom layers of the stir zone, as well as the size and compaction of the intermetallic particles in the stirred region, is lower at higher spindle speed and slower feed rate. However, under these conditions, the recrystallized grain size is increased in all three layers, and the intermetallic particles become fragmented and dispersed, as predicted by the Hall–Petch relationship. The Hall–Petch equation between microhardness and grain size in the stirred region indicated that zones with finer grain size have a higher microhardness, whereas a decrease in microhardness occurs with increasing grain size.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
X. Meng, Y. Huang, J. Cao, J. Shen, and J.F. dos Santos, Recent Progress on Control Strategies for Inherent Issues in Friction Stir Welding, Prog. Mater. Sci., 2021, 115, p 100706
M.K. Gupta, Friction Stir Process: A Green Fabrication Technique for Surface Composites—A Review Paper, SN Appl. Sci., 2020, 2(4), p 532
M.K. Gupta, Effects of Tool Pin Profile and Feed Rate on Wear Performance of Pine Leaf Ash/Al Composite Prepared by Friction Stir Processing, J. Adhes. Sci. Technol., 2020 https://doi.org/10.1080/01694243.2020.1800290
V.P. Singh, S.K. Patel, A. Ranjan, and B. Kuriachen, Recent Research Progress in Solid State Friction-Stir Welding of Aluminium-Magnesium Alloys: A Critical Review, J. Mater. Res. Technol., 2020, 9(3), p 6217–6256
M.K. Gupta, Effects of Tool Profile on Mechanical Properties of Aluminium Alloy Al 1120 Friction Stir Welds, J. Adhes. Sci. Technol., 2020, 34(18), p 2000–2010
Y. Li, D. Sun, and W. Gong, Effect of Tool Rotational Speed on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Bobbin Tool Friction Stir Welded 6082-T6 Aluminium Alloy, Metals (Basel), 2019, 9(8), p 894
C. Yang, J.F. Zhang, G.N. Ma, L.H. Wu, X.M. Zhang, G.Z. He, P. Xue, D.R. Ni, B.L. Xiao, K.S. Wang, and Z.Y. Ma, Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Double-Side Friction Stir Welded 6082Al Ultra-Thick Plates, J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2020, 41, p 105–116
W. Xu, Y. Luo, W. Zhang, and M. Fu, Comparative Study on Local and Global Mechanical Properties of Bobbin Tool and Conventional Friction Stir Welded 7085-T7452 Aluminum Thick Plate, Editor. Off. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2018, 34(1), p 173–184
M. Imam, Y. Sun, H. Fujii, N. Ma, S. Tsutsumi, and H. Murakawa, Microstructural Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Friction Stir Welded Thick 5083 Aluminum Alloy, Metall. Mater. Trans. A Phys. Metall. Mater. Sci., 2017, 48(1), p 208–229
M. Ahmed, B. Wynne, W. Rainforth, A. Addison, J. Martin, and P. Threadgill, Effect of Tool Geometry and Heat Input on the Hardness, Grain Structure, and Crystallographic Texture of Thick-Section Friction Stir-Welded Aluminium, Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2019, 50, p 271–284
K. Fuse and V. Badheka, Bobbin Tool Friction Stir Welding: A Review, Sci. Technol. Weld. Join., 2019, 24(4), p 277–304
G.Q. Wang, Y.H. Zhao, and Y.Y. Tang, Research Progress of Bobbin Tool Friction Stir Welding of Aluminum Alloys: A Review, Acta Metall. Sin. Engl. Lett., 2020, 33(1), p 13–29
C. Yang, D.R. Ni, P. Xue, B.L. Xiao, W. Wang, K.S. Wang, and Z.Y. Ma, A Comparative Research on Bobbin Tool and Conventional Friction Stir Welding of Al-Mg-Si Alloy Plates, Mater. Charact., 2018, 145, p 20–28
M. Esmaily, N. Mortazavi, W. Osikowicz, H. Hindsefelt, J.E. Svensson, M. Halvarsson, J. Martin, and L.G. Johansson, Bobbin and Conventional Friction Stir Welding of Thick Extruded AA6005-T6 Profiles, Mater. Des., 2016, 108, p 114–125
Y. Li, D. Sun, W. Gong, and L. Liu, Effects of Postweld Aging on the Microstructure and Properties of Bobbin Tool Friction Stir-Welded 6082-T6 Aluminum Alloy, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 2019, 26(7), p 849–857
D. Wu, W.Y. Li, Y.J. Gao, J. Yang, Y. Su, Q. Wen, and A. Vairis, Effect of an Improved Pin Design on Weld Formability and Mechanical Properties of Adjustable-Gap Bobbin-Tool Friction Stir Welded Al-Cu Aluminum Alloy Joints, J. Manuf. Process., 2020, 58, p 1182–1188
Q. Wen, W. Li, V. Patel, Y. Gao, and A. Vairis, Investigation on the Effects of Welding Speed on Bobbin Tool Friction Stir Welding of 2219 Aluminum Alloy, Met. Mater. Int., 2020, 26(12), p 1830–1840
L. Yajie, Q. Fengming, L. Cuirong, and W. Zhisheng, Flow Law, Microstructure and Corrosion Behavior of Friction Stir Welded 5A06 Alloy, Rare Met. Mater. Eng., 2018, 47(8), p 2353–2359
M. Mardalizadeh, M. Khandaei, and M.A. Safarkhanian, Influence of Travel Speed on the Microstructural Evaluation and Mechanical Characteristics of Bobbin Tool Friction Stir-Welded Thick AA5456-H112 Plates, J. Adhes. Sci. Technol., 2021, 35(1), p 90–109
ASTM E 112-96, Standard Test Methods for Determining Average Grain Size, 2010, 96 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1520/E0112-10. Copyright
L. Zhou, G.H. Li, C.L. Liu, J. Wang, Y.X. Huang, J.C. Feng, and F.X. Meng, Microstructural Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Al-Mg-Si Alloy Self-reacting Friction Stir Welded Joints, Sci. Technol. Weld. Join., 2017, 22(5), p 438–445
F.F. Wang, W.Y. Li, J. Shen, Z.H. Zhang, J.L. Li, and J.F. Dos Santos, Global and Local Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Bobbin Tool Friction-Stir-Welded Al-Li Alloy, Sci. Technol. Weld. Join., 2016, 21(6), p 479–483
G. Chen, S. Zhang, Y. Zhu, C. Yang, and Q. Shi, Thermo-Mechanical Analysis of Friction Stir Welding: A Review on Recent Advances, Acta Metall. Sin. Engl. Lett., 2020, 33(1), p 3–12
G. Li, L. Zhou, S. Luo, Y. Huang, N. Guo, H. Zhao, and X. Song, Effect of Self-reacting Friction Stir Welding on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Mg-Al-Zn Alloy Joints, J. Manuf. Process., 2019, 37, p 1–10
P.L. Threadgill, M.M.Z. Ahmed, J.P. Martin, J.G. Perrett, and B.P. Wynne, The Use of Bobbin Tools for Friction Stir Welding of Aluminium Alloys, Mater. Sci. Forum, 2010, 638–642, p 1179–1184
Y. Huang, L. Wan, T. Huang, Z. Lv, L. Zhou, and J. Feng, The Weld Formation of Self-support Friction Stir Welds for Aluminum Hollow Extrusion, Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol., 2016, 87(1–4), p 1067–1075
L. Wan, Y. Huang, W. Guo, S. Lv, and J. Feng, Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of 6082-T6 Aluminum Alloy Joints by Self-support Friction Stir Welding, J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2014, 30(12), p 1243–1250
G. Buffa, G. Campanile, L. Fratini, and A. Prisco, Friction Stir Welding of Lap Joints: Influence of Process Parameters on the Metallurgical and Mechanical Properties, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2009, 519(1–2), p 19–26
M. Imam, Y. Sun, H. Fujii, M.A. Ninshu, S. Tsutsumi, S. Ahmed, V. Chintapenta, and H. Murakawa, Deformation Characteristics and Microstructural Evolution in Friction Stir Welding of Thick 5083 Aluminum Alloy, Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol., 2018, 99(1–4), p 663–681
H. Zhang, M. Wang, X. Zhang, and G. Yang, Microstructural Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Bobbin Tool Friction Stir Welded 2A14-T6 Aluminum Alloy, Mater. Des., 2015, 65, p 559–566
X. Cao and M. Jahazi, Effect of Tool Rotational Speed and Probe Length on Lap Joint Quality of a Friction Stir Welded Magnesium Alloy, Mater. Des., 2011, 32, p 1–11
L. Zhou, G.H. Li, C.L. Liu, J. Wang, Y.X. Huang, J.C. Feng, and F.X. Meng, Effect of Rotation Speed on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Self-reacting Friction Stir Welded Al-Mg-Si Alloy, Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol., 2017, 89(9–12), p 3509–3516
L. Zhou, K. Nakata, J. Liao, and T. Tsumura, Microstructural Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Non-combustive Mg-9Al-Zn-Ca Magnesium Alloy Friction Stir Welded Joints, Mater. Des., 2012, 42, p 505–512
O.S. Salih, N. Neate, H. Ou, and W. Sun, Influence of Process Parameters on the Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Characterisations of Friction Stir Welded Al-Mg-Si Alloy, J. Mater. Process. Technol., 2020, 275, p 116366
S.O. Gashti, A. Fattah-Alhosseini, Y. Mazaheri, and M.K. Keshavarz, Effects of Grain Size and Dislocation Density on Strain Hardening Behavior of Ultrafine Grained AA1050 Processed by Accumulative Roll Bonding, J. Alloys Compd., 2016, 658, p 854–861
Y.S. Sato, S.H.C. Park, and H. Kokawa, Microstructural Factors Governing Hardness in Friction-Stir Welds of Solid-Solution-Hardened Al Alloys, Metall. Mater. Trans. A Phys. Metall. Mater. Sci., 2001, 32(12), p 3033–3042
M. Furukawa, Z. Horita, M. Nemoto, R.Z. Valiev, and T.G. Langdon, Microhardness Measurements and the Hall–Petch Relationship in an Al-Mg Alloy with Submicrometer Grain Size, Acta Mater., 1996, 44(11), p 4619–4629
G. Li, L. Zhou, S. Luo, F. Dong, and N. Guo, Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Bobbin Tool Friction Stir Welded ZK60 Magnesium Alloy, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2020, 776, p 138953
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no potential conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mardalizadeh, M., Khandaei, M. & Safarkhanian, M.A. Floating-Bobbin-Tool Friction Stir Welding of 20-mm-Thick AA5456-H112 Plates: Microstructure and Weld Strength. J. of Materi Eng and Perform 30, 3284–3297 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-021-05669-5
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-021-05669-5