Mechanical Properties and Microstructural Evolution of Friction-Stir-Welded Thin Sheet Aluminum Alloys

Friction stir welding of thin aluminum sheets represents a potential goal for aircraft and automotive industries because of the advantages of using this new technological process. In the current work, the microstructural evolution and mechanical behavior of 6082T6-6082T6, 2024T3-2024T3, and 6082T6-2024T3 thin friction-stir-welded joints were investigated. Uniaxial tensile testing at room temperature, 443 K, 473 K, and 503 K (170 °C, 200 °C, and 230 °C) was used to determine the extent to which these ultra-thin joints can be used and deformed. The tensile stress–strain curves showed a decrease of the flow stress with increasing temperature and decreasing strain rate. The ductility of 6082T6-6082T6 joints generally improved when deformed at warm temperatures. It was almost constant for the 6082T6-2024T3 and reached the higher value in the 2024T3-2024T3 when deformed at 443 K and 473 K (170 °C and 200 °C) when compared with the room temperature value. Tensile specimens fractured in the middle of the weld zone in a ductile mode. The precipitation and growth of S’ type phases strengthens 2024T3-2024T3 joints during deformation. In the 6082T6-6082T6, β″ precipitates show some increase in size but give a lower contribution to strength. At 503 K (230 °C), recovery mechanisms (dislocation reorganization inside the deformed grains) are initiated but the temperature was not enough high to produce a homogeneous subgrain structure.