FRICTION STIR WELDING OF ALUMINIUM ALLOYS: Microstructure-Property Development

Friction Stir Welding (FSW) is known to result in a complex microstructural development, with features that remain unexplained, such as: the formation of the onion rings structure. Moreover, various microstructural factors have been suggested to control the strength in Al-Mg AA5xxx welds, without identifying their relative contribution. Furthermore, the influence of the basemetal microstructural parameters (e.g. grains, intermetallic particles, stored energy) on the microstructure-property development has not been previously investigated. These issues are addressed in the present study.