The present paper aims to analyze the microstructure, microhardness, tensile properties, and low cycle fatigue (LCF) behavior of friction stir welded (FSW) butt joints. The material used in this study was the 5 mm thick 5083 H111 aluminum alloy sheet. Butt joints of AA 5083 H111 were manufactured at different operating parameters of the FSW process. The effect of the welding parameters on microstructure, microhardness, and tensile properties was investigated. Based on microstructure analysis and strength tests, the most favorable parameters of the FSW process were settled on the point of view of weld quality. Then, LCF tests of base material and friction stir welded specimens made of 5083 H111 were carried out for the examined welded samples under selected friction stir welding parameters. The process of low-cycle fatigue of 5083 H111 aluminum alloy was characterized by cyclic hardening for both: base material and FSW joint. It was revealed by a decrease in the width of the hysteresis loop with the simultaneous significant increase in the values of the range of stress. It was determined that fatigue cracks are initiated by cyclic slip deformation due to local stress concentration from the surface in the corner of the samples for the base material and the heat-affected zone for FSW joints. For all tested strain amplitudes, the fatigue crack propagation region is characterized by the presence of fatigue striation with secondary cracks.

The aim of this study was to examine the mechanical properties of 5-mm-thick AA7075-T651 alloy using three different welding velocities, 50, 75 and 100 mm/min, and four various sets of tool rotation speeds: 400, 600, 800 and 1000 rpm. All obtained joints were defect-free. In all cases, the values of UTS exceeded 400 MPa, corresponding to 68.5% minimum joint efficiency. The highest value of 447.7 MPa (76.7% joint efficiency) was reported for the joint produced via 400 rpm tool rotation speed and 100 mm/min welding velocity. The SZ microstructure of the strongest joint was characterized by a 5.2 ± 1.7 μm grain size and microhardness of approximately 145 HV0.1. The TMAZ/HAZ interface was identified as the low-hardness zone (105–115 HV0.1, depending on parameters), where the failure of the tensile samples takes place. The fracture mechanism is dominated by a transgranular ductile rupture with microvoid coalescence.

The aim of this research was to investigate the influence of post-weld heat treatment (PWHT, precipitation hardening) on the microstructure and fatigue properties of an AA2519 joint obtained in a friction stir-welding process. The welding process was performed with three sets of parameters. One part of the obtained joints was investigated in the as-welded state and the second part of joints was subjected to the post-weld heat treatment (precipitation hardening) and then investigated. In order to establish the influence of the heat treatment on the microstructure of obtained joints both light and scanning electron microscopy observations were performed. Additionally, microhardness analysis for each sample was carried out. Fatigue properties of the samples in the as-welded state and the samples after post-weld heat treatment were established in a low-cycle fatigue test with constant true strain amplitude equal to ε = 0.25% and cycle asymmetry coefficient R = 0.1. Hysteresis loops together with changes of stress and plastic strain versus number of cycles are presented in this paper. The fatigue fracture in tested samples was analyzed with the use of scanning electron microscope. Our results show that post-weld heat treatment of AA2519 friction stir-welded joints significantly decreases their fatigue life.

The paper describes an investigation of an explosively welded Mg/Al/Ti multilayer composite. Following the welding, the composite was subjected to hot-rolling in three different temperatures: 300 °C, 350 °C and 400 °C, with a total relative strain of 30%. The rolling speed was 0.2 m/s. The investigation of the composite properties involves microhardness analysis and mini-specimen tensile tests of the joints. The composite Mg/Al and Al/Ti bonds in the as-welded state and after rolling in 400 °C were subjected to microstructure analysis using scanning electron (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In the Al/Ti interface, the presence of melted zones with localized intermetallic precipitates has been reported in the as-welded state, and it has been stated that hot-rolling results in precipitation of intermetallic particles from the melted zone. The application of the hot-rolling process causes the formation of a continuous layer in the Mg/Al joint, consisting of two intermetallic phases, Mg₂Al₃ (β) and Mg₁₇Al₁₂ (γ).

Inconel 625 and steel P355NH were bonded by explosive welding in this study. Explosively welded bimetal clad-plate was subjected to the two separated post-weld heat treatment processes: stress relief annealing (at 620 °C for 90 min) and normalizing (at 910 °C for 30 min). Effect of heat treatments on the microstructure of the joint has been evaluated using light and scanning electron microscopy, EDS analysis techniques, and microhardness tests, respectively. It has been stated that stress relief annealing leads to partial recrystallization of steel P355NH microstructure in the joint zone. At the same time, normalizing caused not only the recrystallization of both materials, but also the formation of a diffusion zone and precipitates in Inconel 625. The precipitates in Inconel 625 have been identified as two types of carbides: chromium-rich M₂₃C₆ and molybdenum-rich M₆C. It has been reported that diffusion of alloying elements into steel P355NH takes place along grain boundaries with additional formation of voids. Scanning transmission electron microscope observation of the grain microstructure in the diffusion zone shows that this area consists of equiaxed grains (at the side of Inconel 625 alloy) and columnar grains (at the side of steel P355NH).

This investigation presents the results of research on low cycle fatigue properties of Sc-modified AA2519-T62 extrusion. The basic mechanical properties of the investigated alloy have been established in the tensile test. The low cycle fatigue testing has been performed on five different levels of total strain amplitude: 0.4%; 0.5%; 0.6%; 0.7% and 0.8% with cycle asymmetry coefficient R = 0.1. For each level of total strain amplitude, the graphs of variations in stress amplitude and plastic strain amplitude in the number of cycles have been presented. The obtained results allowed to establish Ramberg-Osgood and Manson-Coffin-Basquin relationships. The established values of the cyclic strength coefficient and cyclic strain hardening exponent equal to k’ = 1518.1 MPa and n’ = 0.1702. Based on the Manscon-Coffin-Basquin equation, the values of the following parameters have been established: the fatigue strength coefficient σ’_f = 1489.8 MPa, the fatigue strength exponent b = −0.157, the fatigue ductility coefficient ε’_f = 0.4931 and the fatigue ductility exponent c = −1.01. The fatigue surfaces of samples tested on 0.4%, 0.6% and 0.8% of total strain amplitude have been subjected to scanning electron microscopy observations. The scanning electron microscopy observations of the fatigue surfaces revealed the presence of cracks in striations in the surrounding area with a high concentration of precipitates. It has been observed that larger Al₂Cu precipitates exhibit a higher tendency to fracture than smaller precipitates having a higher concentration of scandium and zirconium.