Corrosion Behavior of Aluminum-Steel Weld-Brazing Joint

Dissimilar metals of 1060 aluminum and galvanized steel were joined with a lap joint by pulsed double-electrode gas metal arc weld brazing with aluminum-magnesium and aluminum-silicon filler metals. The corrosion behavior of the weld joints was investigated with immersion corrosion and electrochemical corrosion tests, and the corrosion morphology of the joints was analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Galvanic corrosion was found to occur when the samples were immersed in corrosive media, and the corrosion rate of joints was increased with increased heat input of the workpiece. Comparison of the corrosion properties of weld joints with different filler wires indicated that the corrosion rate of weld joints with aluminum-silicon filler wire was larger than that of weld joints with aluminum-magnesium filler wire. Results also showed that the zinc-rich zone of weld joints was prone to corrosion. The corrosion behavior of zinc-rich zone was analyzed with SEM equipped with an energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis system based on the test results.