Experimental Investigation of the Friction Stir Weldability of AA8006 with Zirconia Particle Reinforcement and Optimized Process Parameters

Thanikodi Sathish; Abdul Razak R Kaladgi; V Mohanavel; K Arul; Asif Afzal; Abdul Aabid; Muneer Baig; Bahaa Saleh

doi:10.3390/ma14112782

Experimental Investigation of the Friction Stir Weldability of AA8006 with Zirconia Particle Reinforcement and Optimized Process Parameters

Materials (Basel). 2021 May 24;14(11):2782. doi: 10.3390/ma14112782.

Authors

Thanikodi Sathish¹, Abdul Razak R Kaladgi², V Mohanavel³, K Arul⁴, Asif Afzal², Abdul Aabid⁵, Muneer Baig⁵, Bahaa Saleh⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineering, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Chennai 602105, Tamil Nadu, India.
² Department of Mechanical Engineering, P.A. College of Engineering (Affiliated to Visvesvaraya Technological University, Belagavi), Mangaluru 574153, Karnataka, India.
³ Centre for Materials Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai 600073, Tamilnadu, India.
⁴ Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jeppiaar SRR Engineering College, Chennai 603103, Tamilnadu, India.
⁵ Engineering Management Department, College of Engineering, Prince Sultan University, P.O. Box 66833, Riyadh 11586, Saudi Arabia.
⁶ Mechanical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

A lightweight, highly corrosive resistant, and high-strength wrought alloy in the aluminum family is the Aluminium 8006 alloy. The AA8006 alloy can be formed, welded, and adhesively bonded. However, the recommended welding methods such as laser, TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas welding), and ultrasonic are more costly. This investigation aims to reduce the cost of welding without compromising joint quality by means of friction stir welding. The aluminum alloy-friendly reinforcement agent zirconia is utilized as particles during the weld to improve the performance of the newly identified material AA8006 alloy in friction stir welding (FSW). The objectives of this research are to identify the level of process parameters for the friction stir welding of AA8006 to reduce the variability by the trial-and-error experimental method, thereby reducing the number of samples needing to be characterized to optimize the process parameters. To enhance the quality of the weld, the friction stir processing concept will be adapted with zirconia reinforcement during welding. The friction stir-processed samples were investigated regarding their mechanical properties such as tensile strength and Vickers microhardness. The welded samples were included in the corrosion testing to ensure that no foreign corrosive elements were included during the welding. The quality of the weld was investigated in terms of its surface morphology, including aspects such as the dispersion of reinforced particles on the welded area, the incorporation of foreign elements during the weld, micro defects or damage, and other notable changes through scanning electron microscopy analysis. The process of 3D profilometry was employed to perform optical microscopy investigation on the specimens inspected to ensure their surface quality and finish. Based on the outcomes, the optimal process parameters are suggested. Future directions for further investigation are highlighted.

Keywords: 3D profilometry and wrought alloy; AA8006 alloy; SEM analysis; friction stir welding; zirconia.