Growth Rate of Intermetallics in Aluminum to Copper Dissimilar Welding

The use of aluminum and copper materials increases due to their excellent electrical and thermal characteristics. The growth and the type of intermetallic compounds were varied with the various conditions in fusion welding. The present study focuses on the joining of aluminum to copper by friction welding to characterize the intermetallic layer in the interface. Heat treatment was applied for the welds using a constant temperature of 300 degrees C for the duration of 6 h, 12 h and 24 h. The growth of the intermetallics and their characteristics were examined by microscopic and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy studies. The interdiffusion, growth rate and thickness of the intermetallic compounds were evaluated according to the heating time. The tensile strength and resistance of the welds gradually reduced with increasing the thickness of the intermetallic compounds. The fracture morphology of the welds was investigated by scanning electron microscopy on both sides of the welds.