Effect of different pre- and post-weld heat treatments on microstructures and mechanical properties of variable polarity TIG welded AA2219 joints

The microstructures and mechanical properties of 2219 aluminium alloy joints welded by variable polarity TIG welding in four kinds of different heat treatment conditions, namely, with/without pre-/post-weld heat treatment, were analysed and compared. The post-weld artificial aging treatment rendered fine dispersed precipitates (metastable theta' phase) separate out of weld metal, which made the hardness of weld metal increase by similar to 20%. Meanwhile, the fracture location of joints during tensile test changed from weld zone to heat affected zone (HAZ). The pre-weld solution treatment reduced the overaging degree of HAZ and a large number of theta' phase reprecipitated in HAZ after post-weld artificial aging treatment. Intermediate state welding, with pre-weld solution treatment and post-weld artificial aging treatment together, could increase 20% of the hardness of weld zone, increase 11.5% of the hardness of HAZ and increase 20.3% of the tensile strength of joint.