Resistance Spot Welding of Al to Mg with Different Interlayers

• Main Author: Penner, Pavlo
• Language: en
• Published: 2013
• Subjects: Magnesium; Aluminum; Dissimilar; Resistance Spot Welding; Interlayer; Mechanical Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10012/7723

In order to meet the increasing fuel efficiency requirements, the automotive industry has strived for component weight reduction in order to improve the performance of automotive vehicles through the use of light Al and Mg alloys. Resistance spot welding (RSW) currently is the primary joining method in the manufacturing of automotive assemblies. With the increased use of Al and Mg, there is a pressing need for a technology to produce dissimilar Al/Mg joints, and preferably by RSW since this technology is already prevalent in the industry. Direct welding of Al to Mg usually results in formation of hard and brittle intermetallic compounds and poor quality of the welds. Employing an interlayer is a promising approach to overcome this problem. Current literature, however, does not consider the effects of different interlayers on RSW of Al to Mg. This thesis examines effects of different interlayers on microstructure and mechanical properties of Al/Mg joints made by RSW. Effects of three types of interlayers, specifically pure Ni foil, Au-coated Ni foil and Zn-coated were investigated in details. While only brief investigation of joints made with Sn-coated steel, Zn foil, and Cu foil interlayers was conducted. No joints were achieved with a bare Ni interlayer during Al to Mg alloy resistance spot welding, as coupons separated without applying any force. The Ni interlayer remained intact and Al-Mg intermetallic compounds did not form. Addition of Au coating on Ni surface greatly contributed to the metallurgical bonding at the interfaces and welds easily met requirements of the AWS D17.2 standard. Average lap-shear strength reached 90% of that in similar AZ31B resistance spot welds. Acceptable welds were also produced using galvanised Zn-coated steel interlayer, which easily met strength requirements of the AWS D17.2 standard. Average failure load reached 74% of same size similar AZ31B joints. The steel interlayer was not melted which prevented mixing of Al and Mg. The Zn coating on the steel interlayer was melted and squeezed to the nugget periphery, providing a clean steel surface for welding-brazing in the center and acting as a solder metal at the periphery. A feasibility study of Al/Mg RSW with Sn-coated steel, Zn foil and Cu foil interlayers was also conducted. Mechanical properties of welds made with Sn-coated steel interlayer were very similar to those made with Zn-coated steel interlayer. While welds made with only a Zn foil interlayer were much weaker. The Zn foil completely melted during the welding which resulted in formation of brittle Al-Mg-Zn phases. None of the welds made with Zn foil interlayer met requirements of the AWS D17.2 standard. RSW of Al to Mg with Cu foil interlayer also could not produce welds with acceptable strength.