Improvements of mechanical properties in dissimilar joints of HDPE and ABS via carbon nanotubes during friction stir welding process

Thermoplastic materials can be joined via friction stir welding (FSW), but the traditional tools fail to get excellent quality. The aim of this work is to investigate the effect of the multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the morphology and mechanical property of the dissimilar joints of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and acrylonitrile styrene (ABS) during submerged friction stir welding (SFSW). Different amounts of MWCNTs were added to the interface of the joint. The results show that the number of defects, such as pores and crack, could be decreased by adding the MWCNTs. The tensile and hardness tests were carried out as the mechanical properties of the weld samples, and the results showed that adding the MWCNTs to the joint increased the tensile strength and elongation, but decreased the hardness of the joint. The volume of the groove is used to fill the MWCNTs, however, it is easy to form cracks in the joint when it was too large. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.