Local melting mechanism and its effects on mechanical properties of friction spot welded joint for Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy

Local melting and the eutectic film and liquation crack formation mechanisms during friction spot weld- ing （FSpW） of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy were studied by both experiment and finite element simulation. Their effects on mechanical properties of the joint were examined. When the welding heat input was high, the peak temperature in the stir zone was higher than the incipient melting temperature of the Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloy. This resulted in local melting along the grain boundaries in this zone. In the retreating stage of the welding process, the formed liquid phase was driven by the flowing plastic material and redistributed as a ＂U-shaped＂ line in the stir zone. In the following cooling stage, this liquid phase transformed into eutectic films and liquation cracks. As a result, a new characteristic of＂U＂ line that consisted of eutectic films and liquation cracks is formed in the FSpWjoin. This ＂U＂ line was located in the high stress region when the FSpW joint was loaded, thus it was adverse to the mechanical properties of the FSpW joint. During tensile shear tests, the ＂U＂ line became a preferred crack propagation path, resulting in the occurrence of brittle fracture.

Simultaneous enhancement of strength and ductility in friction stir processed 2205 duplex stainless steel with a bimodal structure:experiments and crystal plasticity modeling

Achieving excellent strength-ductility synergy is a long-lasting research theme for structural materials.However,attempts to enhance strength usually induce a loss of ductility,i.e.,the strength-ductility trade-off.In the present study,the strength-ductility trade-off in duplex stainless steel(DSS)was overcome by developing a bimodal structure using friction stir processing(FSP).The ultimate tensile strength and elongation were improved by 140%and 109%,respectively,compared with those of the asreceived materials.Plastic deformation and concurrent dynamic recrystallization(DRX)during FSP were responsible for the formation of bimodal structure.Incompatible deformation resulted in the accumulation of dislocations at the phase boundaries,which triggered interpenetrating nucleation between the austenite and ferrite phases during DRX,leading to a bimodal structure.The in situ mechanical responses of the bimodal structure during tensile deformation were investigated by crystal plasticity finite element modeling(CPFEM).The stress field distribution obtained from CPFEM revealed that the simultaneous enhancement of strength and ductility in a bimodal structure could be attributed to the formation of a unique dispersion-strengthened system with the austenite and ferrite phases.It is indicated that the present design of alternating fine austenite and coarse ferrite layers is a promising strategy for optimizing the mechanical properties of DSSs.