Research on corrosion behavior of A6N01S-T5 aluminum alloy welded joint for high-speed trains

For high speed trains, safety is of utmost importance. Salt fog corrosion, intergranular corrosion tests were employed to observe the corrosion behavior of welded joint of A6N01S-T5 aluminum alloy of high-speed trains. Tensile strength and hardness changed after corrosion was tested. The micro morphologies were observed by metalloscope and laser confocal scanning microscope (LCSM). The corrosion loss and corrosion loss ratio were also investigated. The results showed that the heat affected zone (HAZ) was the most sensitive to corrosion in welded joint in the salt fog corrosion test. The potential of the corrosion of the intermetallic compound on the surface was different from the Al matrix potential, which easily generated corrosion micro-batteries that generated the corrosion pit. The weld zone was the most sensitive to corrosion in the welded joint in the intergranular corrosion test, because much corrosion produced an intermetallic phase such as CuAl2, MgZn2, Mg5Al8, which formed the deficient Cu or Mg zone potential. The potential is low, which acted as an anode and corroded. The residual stress test on the weld of the A6N01S-T5 of the W1 of the exterior surface of roof of high speed train showed there was distributed high tensile stress and compressed stress in the weld zone, HAZ zone and matrix zone. The defects will spread under the high stress and make the corrosion become severe.