Microstructural characterizations of dissimilar friction stir welds

This paper reports the microstructural characteristics of dissimilar friction stir welds between 5754 aluminium alloy and C11000 copper. Dissimilar Friction Stir Welds of 5754 aluminium and C11000 copper were produced by varying the rotational speeds between 600 and 1200 rpm and the feed rate between 50 and 300 mm/min. The welds were characterized through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The SEM analysis revealed the levels of metallurgical bonding achieved at the joint interfaces of the welds produced and it can be established that better metallurgical bonding and good mixing of both materials joined were achieved in welds produced at lower feed rates of 50 mm/min and 150 mm/min while defect population was found to be common in the welds produced at high feed rate of 300 mm/min