Improved microstructure and mechanical properties in gas tungsten arc welded aluminum joints by using graphene nanosheets/aluminum composite filler wires

Microstructure, Corrosion and Mechanical Properties of TiC Particles/Al-5Mg Composite Fillers for Tungsten Arc Welding of 5083 Aluminum Alloy

A semi-solid stir casting mixed multi-pass rolling process was successfully employed to manufacture TiCp/Al-5Mg composite filler wires with different contents of TiC particles. The 5083-H116 aluminum alloys were joined by tungsten inert gas (TIG) using TiCp/Al-5Mg composite weld wires. The microstructure, mechanical properties, fractography and corrosion behavior of the welds were evaluated. The results revealed that TiC particles were distributed in the welds uniformly and effectively refined the primary α-Al grains. The hardness and tensile strength of the welds were improved by increasing the TiC particle content, which could be attributed to the homogeneous distribution of TiC particles and the microstructure in the weld joints. Potentiodynamic polarization testing revealed that the corrosion resistance of the welds also increased with the addition of TiC particle contents. In addition, the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) susceptibility of the welds decreased as micro-TiC particles were introduced into the welds. The electronic structure of the Al/TiC interface was investigated by first principle calculation. The calculation showed that valence electrons tended to be localized in the region of the TiC-Al interface, corresponding to an addition of the overall work function, which hinders the participation of electrons in the composite in corrosion reactions.

Modified TIG Welding Joint Process: An Approach to Improve Microstructure and Fracto-Mechanical Behavior by MWCNTs Inducement in Al-Mg-Si Alloy

This work provides a comprehensive investigation of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) inducement in weldment and their apparent effect on the microstructure, %elongation and ultimate fracture behavior of Al-Mg-Si alloy referring modified tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding joints. Serious experimental work is carried out at 1 wt%, 1.5 wt%, and 2 wt% of MWCNTs to provide a gradually increasing heterogeneous nucleation. The behavior of grain morphology showed the pure field of epitaxial growth without MWCNTs, and the forestry type morphology for 1 wt% MWCNTs at low welding currents (160 A), though there was a noticeable conversion into equiaxed (EQZ) grains filled with inter-dendritic particles at high welding currents (180 A and 200 A) for 1.5 wt% and 2 wt% of MWCNTs. Moreover, the formation of a cellular type network above the fusion line predominated initially at all parameters. Conversely, fine EQZ grains were formed as they moved upward into the welded zone (WZ) explicitly at a high heat input. A conceptual pictorial model is presented in the study which summarized the behavior of morphological changes at the utilized parameters. The welded joints have demonstrated an increasing trend of strength and %elongation in contrast to joints without added MWCNTs. Comparative results have shown an exceptional increment of 71 to 76% and 67 to 75% of elongation up to ultimate tensile strength (UTS), and a fracture point that was clinched for 1 wt% and 1.5 wt% MWCNTs at 180A. From macro to micro-examination of the fracture surfaces, pure ductile modes constituting elliptical cup and cone type isotropic flow was evident in all specimens. Detailed confirmation of the pull-out fracture mode of MWCNTs has highlighted in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images that intimated a methodical contribution in load-transfer from matrix to the fiber under axial load. Overall, a concise en-route for MWCNTs inducement is well-appointed through tube fillers along with an activating facilitator (TiO₂) in contrast to stereotype fillers for improved behavior termed as modified TIG welding joint process in study.

Microstructure and nanoindentation behavior of Cu composites reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets by electroless co-deposition technique

A reduced graphene oxide/copper (RGO/Cu) composite was fabricated by a surfactant free, electroless co-deposition technique. The graphene oxide (GO) sheets were reduced and RGO homogeneous distributed into the copper matrix. On the basis of nanoindentation, the presence of RGO and the increase of its content in matrix significantly raised the hardness of RGO/Cu composites. Here, the relevant strengthening effect and mechanisms involved in RGO-reinforced Cu composites were systematically evaluated. Especially, the addition of RGO in Cu matrix led to the compressive micro-strain, and the resulted distortion of the lattice parameter was calculated based on Cohen’s method. However, excessive addition of GO in the electrolyte could decrease the mechanical performance due to agglomeration of RGO. Apparently, the optimal concentration for GO dispersion in co-deposition solution was deserved to discuss. After a serious of relative experiments, we could get a conclusion that this method provided a new pathway for embedded graphene into the metal matrix to improve the mechanical properties of RGO-reinforced materials.