Effect of Interlayer Thickness on Joint Formation Between Ti-6Al-4V and Mg-AZ31 Alloys

The joining of a Ti-6Al-4V alloy to a Mg-AZ31 alloy was performed using Ni electroplated coatings during the TLP bonding process. In this work, different coating thicknesses were used ranging from 1 to 20 mu m. The effect of the coat thickness on microstructural developments and mechanical properties was studied. The bonded specimens were examined by metallographic examination, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. It was observed that as the coat thickness increased from 1 to 12 mu m, the joint shear strength increased from 9 to 47 MPa. A further increase in coat thickness had a detrimental effect on the bond strength, and a lower value of 11 MPa was recorded. The mechanism of joint formation includes three stages: solid-state diffusion, eutectic formation, and isothermal solidification.