Revealing microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of resistance spot welded NiTi-stainless steel with Ni or Nb interlayer

Dissimilar welding of NiTi and stainless steel(SS)for multifunctional device fabrication is challenging due to the brittle nature of intermetallic compounds(IMCs)that are formed in the weld zone.In this work,Ni and Nb interlayers were applied for the resistance spot welding(RSW)of NiTi and SS to replace the harmful Fe_(2)Ti phase and to restrict the mixing of dissimilar molten metals,respectively.Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of the joints were investigated.It was shown that a conventional weld nugget was created in the absence of any interlayer in the welded joint suffering from traversed cracks due to the formation of brittle IMCs network in the fusion zone(FZ).By the addition of Ni from the interlayer,Fe_(2)Ti dominated weld nugget was efficaciously replaced by Ni_(3)Ti phase;however,the presence of the large pore and cracks reduced the effective joining area.The use of a Nb interlayer resulted in a fundamentally different joint,in which FZs at NiTi and SS sides separated by the unmolten Nb would suppress the mixing of dissimilar molten metals.Nb-containing eutectic structures with low brittleness formed at the interfaces,contributing to the enhancement of joint strength(increased by 38%on fracture load and 460%on energy absorption).A high-melting-point interlayer showed great potential to realize a reliable and high-performing RSWed NiTi-SS joint.

Non-destructive microstructural analysis by electrical conductivity:Comparison with hardness measurements in different materials

The use of non-destructive evaluation(NDE) techniques for assessing microstructural changes in processed materials is of particular importance as it can be used to assess, qualitatively, the integrity of any material/structure. Among the several NDE techniques available, electrical conductivity measurements using eddy currents attract great attention owing to its simplicity and reliability. In this work, the electrical conductivity profiles of friction stir processed Ti6Al4 V, Cu, Pb, S355 steel and gas tungsten arc welded AISI 304 stainless steel were determined through eddy currents and four-point probe. In parallel, hardness measurements were also performed. The profiles matched well with the optical macrographs of the materials: while entering in the processed region a variation in both profiles was always observed. One particular advantage of electrical conductivity profiles over hardness was evident: it provides a better resolution of the microstructural alterations in the processed materials. Moreover, when thermomechanical processing induces microstructural changes that modify the magnetic properties of a material,eddy currents testing can be used to qualitatively determine the phase fraction in a given region of the material. A qualitative relation between electrical conductivity measurements and hardness is observed.