Materials and Design 31 (2010) 13921402

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Materials and Design

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/matdes

Warm and room temperature deformation of friction stir welded thin

aluminium sheets
E. Cerri *, P. Leo
Dept. of Innovation Engineering, University of Salento, via per Arnesano, 73100 Lecce, Italy

a r t i c l e

i n f o

Article history:
Received 3 June 2009
Accepted 28 August 2009
Available online 2 September 2009
Keywords:
Warm temperature deformation
Tensile test
Microhardness
FSW
Aluminium alloys

a b s t r a c t
Friction stir welding is a welding solid state process of large potential advantages for aerospace and automotive industries dealing with light alloys. The metal to be welded is not melted and this avoids welding
defects such as cracks and porosity. Moreover, there is no signicant deterioration in mechanical properties due to phase transformations in the joint and low-cost and high-quality joints can be produced
even from heat-treatable aluminium alloys, notably difcult to weld. In this study, very thin rolled sheets
(0.8 mm in thickness) of 2024T3 and 6082T6 were friction stir welded, parallel to the rolling directions,
obtaining similar joints (2024T32024T3 and 6082T66082T6) and dissimilar joints (6082T62024T3).
Tensile tests at temperatures and strain rates of 170230 C and 103105 s1 respectively were
performed on the thin joints. The ow stress decreased with increasing temperature and decreasing
strain rate. The ductility was quite independent from temperature and strain rate. The tensile stress
strain curves of the thin dissimilar joints placed at an intermediate level between the high strength
2024T32024T3 and low strength 6082T66082T6 ow curves. The fracture occurred in the middle of
the stir zone for all the investigated joints and was of ductile type. Microhardness proles were slightly
modied by straining.
2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
Friction stir welding (FSW) is a solid state joining method particularly suited for aluminium alloys, which are difcult to be fusion welded without hot cracking, porosity or distortion. During
welding, the material is frictionally heated to a temperature at
which it becomes more plastic. The heat of friction and plastic ow
arising from the rotating tool produce signicant microstructure
changes, which lead to local variations in the mechanical properties of the weld [15]. FSW is being targeted by the industry for
structural demanding applications to provide high-performance
benets [6]. The FSW zone consists of a stir zone or nugget, a thermomechanically affected zone (TMAZ) and a heat affected zone
(HAZ). The grain structure in the stir zone is very ne and equiaxed
causing a higher mechanical strength and ductility [713].
In FSW the work piece does not reach the melting point and the
mechanical properties, such as ductility and strength of the welded
zone, are much higher compared to the traditional techniques [14].
The very attractive mechanical properties are principally due to the
strong grain rening effect of the process. The data available in literature demonstrated that the mean grain sizes resulting from the
FSW process are at least 10 times smaller than those measured in
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +39 0832 297324; fax: +39 0832 297733.
E-mail address: emanuela.cerri@unisalento.it (E. Cerri).
0261-3069/$ - see front matter 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.matdes.2009.08.044

the undeformed parent material [15,16]. In short, the results of

these studies suggest that FSW can cause grain renement through
severe plastic deformation. In particular, a single pass of FSW produces an estimated effective strain >40 [17] resulting in a mean
0.510 mm grain size structure.
The strong plastic deformation of the material during welding
operation and the advantage that an optimized process reaches
temperature close to 400 C in the nugget, lead to a strong recrystallized structure with high performances in terms of strength and
potential superplastic properties. From this point of view, some
authors demonstrated that the microstructure in the stir zone
evolves through a continuous dynamic recrystallization process
[10]. Actually, FSW is mainly used for joining similar materials,
even if few systematic studies have been performed to observe
the effect of combination of alloys with different composition. This
is a core demand of aircraft and car industries to substitute the traditional joining technologies with low costs and high efciency
ones such as FSW in the future advanced design.
Recent literature reports examples of FSW of dissimilar aluminium alloy sheets [1820], as well as aluminiumsteel [21,22], aluminiummagnesium [23] and aluminiumsilver joints [24]. FSW
of very thin sheets needs to be explored as well as the mechanical
properties of the resulting joints. FSW of very thin sheets is expected to have many difculties due, for example, to the high
amount of heat lost towards the backing plate, to the necessity

E. Cerri, P. Leo / Materials and Design 31 (2010) 13921402

of using tools without particular features (because of small probe

dimensions) and to forging the material. Moreover, for micro-sheet
joining techniques the anisotropic effects must be considered since
they increase dramatically due to specimens dimensions.
The aim of this work is to study the deformation behaviour at
warm and room temperatures of FSW aluminium alloy sheets
0.8 mm thick, combined in similar and dissimilar butt joints. The
joints will be characterized by metallography, microhardness measurements, tensile tests at room and warm temperature of deformation and X-rays diffractometry to verify their stability and
performances.

1393

applying a load of 500 g for 15s. The surfaces were electropolished

before microhardness measurements. Specimens for tensile tests,
with a gauge length of 30 mm, a width of 10 mm and a thickness
of 0.8 mm according to UNI EN 1002/5 (top of Fig. 1a), were
machined from the FSW sheets in order to have the loading axis
normal to the welding direction (example in Fig. 1a). An extensometer was employed to measure the elongation and it was
placed in order to have the mid line of the weld correspondent
to the mid point of the extensometer. A cross-sectional view of
a tensile sample is reported in Fig. 1b. The tests were performed
at 170, 200 and 230 C and nominal strain rates of 103, 104,

2. Experimental procedures
2.1. Materials and welding conditions
The chemical compositions of the aluminium alloys used in this
study are illustrated in Table 1. Rolled sheets of 2024T3 and
6082T6 aluminium alloys 0.8 mm thick, have been friction stir
welded by a cylindrical non-threaded probe of 1.7 mm in diameter
and 0.6 mm in height. The tool shoulder was 6 mm in diameter.
The welding tool was made of 56NiCrMoV7 tool steel because of
its good strength and stability in the process. Base materials were
welded parallel to the rolling directions with a weld and rotational
speed of 762 mm/min, 2085 rpm for 6082T66082T6 and 6082T6
2024T3 (dissimilar) joints, and 460 mm/min, 1800 rpm for
2024T32024T3 joints, respectively. The welding parameters were
optimized taking into account the mechanical properties of the
softer alloy. The used parameters represent the best combination
that maximizes the transversal strength of the 2024T3 and
6082T6 joints and were experimentally identied. Moreover, the
dissimilar joint was produced with the high strength alloy
(2024T3) positioned on the retrieving side and the 6082T6 (the
softer one) on the advancing side, based on the idea that the microstructure and the mechanical properties of the stirred zone are
governed by the retrieving side of the joint.
2.2. Metallography
After FSW process, the joints were sectioned perpendicular to
the welding direction by an electro-discharge cutting device for
metallographic investigations. Metallography of the joints and
base materials were performed by a Nikon Epiphot equipped with
the image analyzer. For light microscopy, samples were mechanically ground and polished up to 1 lm diamond paste. Chemical
etching was performed by Kellers reagent and if anodized, a solution of 5% HBF4 in methanol was used to reveal grains by polarized
light. The grain size and microstructural features were statistically
analyzed by considering at least 300 features for calculating mean
size and standard deviation. The statistical analysis was performed
by using the linear intercept method. The lines were imaged in
independent directions and, usually, vertical and horizontal
straight lines at regular intervals have been considered.
2.3. Mechanical tests
After metallographic investigations, microhardness proles
were measured in the cross section of the thin welded joints by

Table 1
Chemical composition (% in weight) of the base materials.

6082T6
2024T3

Cu

Mg

Mn

Fe

Si

Zn

Cr

Ti

Al

0.08
4.67

0.78
1.34

0.48
0.63

0.39
0.25

0.95
0.15

0.04
0.02

0.03
0.01

0.05
0.06

rem
rem

Fig. 1. Geometry of specimens used for tensile tests showing the scheme according
to UNI EN 1002/5 (top) and real samples (bottom) and (b) cross-sectional view of a
sample after rupture.

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E. Cerri, P. Leo / Materials and Design 31 (2010) 13921402

5  105 s1 to study the warm temperature deformation behaviour of the similar and dissimilar joints. A set of tests was also
run at room temperature at a nominal initial strain rate of
104 s1. Three tests were run at least for each experimental condition to assure measurements accuracy. All the tensile tests were
performed by an Instron 4485 equipped with a cylindrical furnace
for warm temperature deformation tests. The true stress, r (MPa),
and true strain, e were calculated according to the following
formula:

r P=A0 e 1 and e  lne 1

where P is the tensile load (N), A0 is the original cross sectional area
of the specimen (mm2) and e is the engineering strain.
X-rays diffraction was performed on several strained samples to
study lattice parameter and the presence of precipitate in strained
regions.

3. Results and discussion

3.1. Microstructure of the joints
Optical micrographs of characteristic zones of friction stir
welded joints are illustrated in Figs. 24. Fig. 2 refers to 2024T3
2024T3 joint. Fig. 2a shows the microstructure of the base materials, that consists of equiaxed grains of (13 5) m measured in the
short transverse rolling plane (Fig. 2b). The grain size in the HAZ
results substantially similar to the base material (Fig. 2c), while
the microstructure in the TMAZ is quite different. The grains are
plastically deformed as a consequence of the stirring occurring in
the retrieving (Fig. 2d) and in the advancing side (Fig. 2e) of the
nugget. No recrystallized grains are found in the TMAZ of the similar 2024T3 joint. In the 2024T3, the high density of particles of
AlMnCu and AlCuMg type permits large resistance to recrystallisation, as shown by TEM [25].

Base material 2024T3

base m aterial 2024-2024

35

frequency count

30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

equivalent diam eter [ m ]

HAZ
Retriet. TMAZ Nugget

Nugget-TMAZ Advanc.

e
Fig. 2. Optical micrographs of the 2024T32024T3 joint showing (a) the base material, (c) the HAZ, (d) the transaction zone between the TMAZ and the nugget (retrieving
side), (e) the zone between the TMAZ and the nugget (advancing side), (b) statistical distribution of equivalent grain size in the base material.

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E. Cerri, P. Leo / Materials and Design 31 (2010) 13921402

35

6082T6 Base material

base m aterial 6082-6082

frequency counts

30
25
20
15
10
5
0
0

10

15

20

25

30

35

equivalent diameter [ m ]

HAZ
TMAZ-Nugget

d
25

6082T6-6082T6 nugget
20

frequency

Nugget

15

10

0
0

equivalent grain size [m]

Fig. 3. Optical micrographs of the 6082T66082T6 joint showing (a) the base material, (c) the HAZ, (d) the transaction zone between the TMAZ and the nugget (retrieving
side), (e) the nugget of the weld. Statistical distributions of equivalent grain size (b) in the base material and (f) in the nugget.

Fig. 3 shows the characteristic zones of the 60682T66082T6

joint. The base material (Fig. 3a) consists of equiaxed grains
of (14 5) l measured in the short transverse rolling plane
(Fig. 3b). The HAZ (Fig. 3c) is very similar to the base material
and no substantial difference in grain size is encountered. The border between the TMAZ and the nugget is reported in Fig. 3d showing how the plastic deformation induced by the rotational tool has
affected the morphology of the grains. When the stir zone is approached, the grains are completely recrystallized (Fig. 3e) with
an equivalent grain dimension of 2.53 lm (Fig. 3f).
Fig. 4a shows a composition picture of the dissimilar joint
(6082T62024T3) with the retrieving side on the 2024T3. The
micrographs illustrate the base material, the HAZ, TMAZ and the
nugget (the stirred zone) where the two aluminium alloys intersect
each other during the severe plastic deformation. This puzzle of
photos clearly shows that the very thin joints are of good quality

because no defects or porosity have been detected nor in the

2024T3 or in the 6082T6 type joints. Fig. 4b is again a composition
of the other side, i.e. of the advancing side. The contrast may be different for the two materials respect to Fig. 4a because of the use of
different chemical etchants and/or anodisation to reveal the two
aluminium alloys. The pictures demonstrate the complete weldability of these two alloys at the solid state. Fig. 4c and d illustrate
the HAZ and the TMAZ of the advancing side, showing no difference in dimensions respect to 6082T6 in the similar joint.
3.2. Hardness proles
The differences in microstructure provide a tool to understand
the hardness proles measured across the three welds. Fig. 5
shows the hardness prole across the welds, starting 20 mm apart
from the centre of the weld, in the advancing and retrieving

1396

E. Cerri, P. Leo / Materials and Design 31 (2010) 13921402

Fig. 4. Optical micrographs of the 6082T62024T3 dissimilar joint showing (a) the retrieving side of the joint from the 2024T3 to the stir zone, (b) the advancing side of the
joint from the 6082T6 to the stir zone, (c) the HAZ and (d) TMAZ in the advancing side of the joint.

directions. The proles substantially differ in the joints, according

to the thermal treatments and microstructure modications that
occurred during the FSW process [26]. The hardness prole of
the 2024T32024T3 weld (Fig. 5a) reports values in the range of
130140 HV for the stir zone. These uctuations should be due
to onion ring structure of the nugget and local associate precipitate
distribution which inuence microhardness measurements from
point to point [27,28]. The microhardness is slightly higher in the
nugget respect to the THAZ and HAZ because of the ner grain size
presents in the nugget. It increases to 140 HV at 1718 mm from
the centre of the nugget, both in the advancing and retrieving side.
The microstructure modication in the stir zone respect to the base
material as a consequence of the FSW process can also be shown by
X-rays analysis. In fact, X-rays diffraction peaks of Al (Fig. 5b) show
very different grain orientation distributions in the stir zone and in
the base material (at a distance of 50 mm from the nugget centre).
In particular, after FSW, the microstructure (grains of Al) of the
nugget shows an intensication of the (1 1 1) and (2 2 0) peaks
for planes parallel to the surface of the nugget, while in the
2024T3 base material their intensity was much lower. Moreover,

no signicant shift in the lattice parameter of the Al cell was veried in the nugget respect to the base material.
The HV prole for the 6082T66082T6 (Fig. 5c) shows less scattered values respect to the 2024T3 FSW joint, but a drop of almost
30 HV in the stir zone is visible. The starting condition of the 6082
sheet is T6 and during the FSW process, the temperature in the
nugget may even reach 350450 C [10,29], depending on experimental conditions. From a microstructure point of view, this can
lead to an evolution of precipitates towards coarsening or dissolution (partly solubilisation) and create a decrease in hardness, even
if the grains are rened by the process [30]. Moreover, the FSW
process determines a substantial change in Al lattice plane distances of the nugget respect to the base material as shown in
Fig. 5d by the Al peak shift. In fact, the initial state of the sheet
was T6 meaning a state of structure relaxation much higher if compared with the state of stress of the stir zone. For the 2024T3 similar FSW sheets, this was not the case because of the T3 initial state
of the joints. X-rays diffractometry also shows an increment of
grain preferential orientations in the stir zone respect to the base
material, as for the 2024T3 similar FSW sheets. The welding

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E. Cerri, P. Leo / Materials and Design 31 (2010) 13921402

b 7000

150

advancing

140

retreating

2024-2024 T3

6000

130

5000

110

Cps

HV0,500

120

reduction in hardness within the HAZ

nugget
base material

4000

3000

100
2000

90
80

1000

2024-2024

70
-20

-15

-10

-5

10

15

37

20

38

39

40

41

Distance from weld center [mm]

42

43

44

45

46

44

45

46

150

7000

6082-6082 T6

140

6000

130

nugget
base material

5000

Cps

HV0,500

120
110

4000

3000

100
2000

90
1000

80

6082-6082
0

70
-20

-15

-10

-5

10

15

37

20

38

39

40

41

42

43

Distance from weld center [mm]

150

2024 retreating

6082 advancing

140
130

HV0,500

120
110
100
90
80

6082-2024
70
-20

-15

-10

-5

10

15

20

Distance form weld center [mm]

Fig. 5. Microhardness proles of the (a) 2024T32024T3 joint, (c) 6082T66082T6 joint and of (e) 6082T62024T3 dissimilar joint in the as-received state, (b) and (d) X-rays
diffractometry showing variations in Al peak intensity of the base materials and the nuggets.

process introduces or modies texture in the stir zone respect to

the initial state of the materials and but the study of these aspects
is beyond the aim of the paper.
Fig. 5e reports the hardness prole of the dissimilar joint
(6082T62024T3) that looks like a mixture, in the nugget zone,
of the 2024T3 in the retrieving side and the 6082T6 in the advancing side.

3.3. Mechanical properties at room and warm temperature of

deformation
The evaluation of tensile properties at room temperature of the
FSW joints is reported in Fig. 6. The elastic part of the stressstrain
curves exactly overlap showing a good correspondence in elastic
modulus even for the dissimilar joint (2425 GPa). The plastic

1398

E. Cerri, P. Leo / Materials and Design 31 (2010) 13921402

500

RT

true stress [MPa]

400

2024-2024T3

300

6082-2024

200

6082-6082T6

100

0
0.00

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

true strain
Fig. 6. Stressstrain curves for similar and dissimilar joints at room temperature.

behaviour is illustrated by strain hardening occurring in all the

joints. The 2024T32024T3 weld reports the higher strength
(450 MPa) and ductility (true strain 0.065), while the 6082T6

160

6082T6 reaches 230 MPa in strength and 0.03 in true strain. The
dissimilar joint shows a medium strength of 260 MPa but has the
lower ductility.
Microhardness measurements have been performed on the
joint samples also after straining (Fig. 7). The strain hardening contributes to hardness curves in all the investigated alloys, even if the
percentage of contribution is different when comparing the nuggets and the TMAZs [26]. In the 6082T66082T6 joint (Fig. 7b),
the strain hardening increment is max in the nugget zone that
was the softer one before deformation. In the 2024T32024T3 deformed joint (Fig. 7a), the hardness slightly increases in the nugget
and in the TMAZ respect to the unstrained sample. The dissimilar
joint shows a hardness trend that is a mixing of the two alloys described upon (Fig. 7c).
Several tensile tests have been performed at temperatures in
the range of 170230 C to study the mechanical response of the
thin joints at warm temperatures of deformation. Some of the
experimental stressstrain curves are illustrated in Fig. 8 for FSW
joints deformed at 170 C and 103 s1, 230 C and 103 s1,
170 C and 105 s1. The tensile curves of the dissimilar joints
are higher than the 60826082T6 curves but they remain softer
than the harder joints (20242024T3), at all temperatures and
strain rates investigated. Moreover, the ductility of the dissimilar
joints is very poor compared to the elongation of 20242024T3

150

150
140

6082-6082T6
140
130

120

HV0,500

HV0,500

fsw
fsw + tensile tested

130

120
110

100

2024-2024T3

100

90

fsw
fsw + tensile tested

90

80

80
-20

-15

-10

110

-5

10

15

70

20

-20

-15

Distance from weld center [mm]

-10

-5

10

15

20

Distance from weld center [mm]

150

2024 retreating

6082 advancing

140
130

HV0,500

120
110
100
90

fsw
fsw + tensile tested

80
70
-20

-15

-10

-5

10

15

20

Distance from weld center [mm]

Fig. 7. Comparison of microhardness proles in the joints before and after tensile tests at room temperature for (a) 2024T32024T3, (b) 6082T66082T6 and (c) 6082T6
2024T3.

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E. Cerri, P. Leo / Materials and Design 31 (2010) 13921402

b 350

350

2024T3-2024T3
300

2024T3-2024T3

True stress [MPa]

True stress [MPa]

300
250
200

6082T6-2024T3
150

6082T6-6082T6

100

-3

250
200

6082T6-2024T3
150
-3

-1

170C, 10 s

6082T6-6082T6
50

50
0
0.00

-1

230C, 10 s
100

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0
0.00

0.07

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

True strain

True strain

350

-5

-1

170C, 10 s

True stress [MPa]

300

2024T3-2024T3

250
200
150

6082T6-2024T3
100

6082T6-6082T6
50
0
0.00

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

0.06

0.07

True strain
Fig. 8. Stressstrain curves at warm temperature of deformation for all the type of investigated joints at (a) 170 C, 103s1, (b) 230 C, 103 s1 and (c) 170 C, 105 s1.

and 60826082T6 joints, at every experimental condition and even

if compared to other results [31].
A complete evaluation of tensile test results is illustrated in
Fig. 9 at all temperatures and strain rates investigated. The values
of the Yield Strength (YS), Ultimate Tensile Strength (UTS) and true
strain e are reported in plot columns in Fig. 9a for the 6082T6
6082T6, in Fig. 9b for the 2024T32024T3 and in Fig. 9c 6082T6
2024T3. The strength values in Fig. 9a demonstrate that there is
a trend for the UTS to slightly decrease with increasing temperature and, keeping constant the temperature, they decrease with
strain rate. The YS is not very inuenced by deformation process
variables as also the strain e does. For the 6082T66082T6 thin
joints, the UTS follows the classical trend of slightly decreasing
with strain rate or with increasing temperature of deformation.
The YS shows some scatter respect to the behaviour described
for the UTS and the strain e remains almost constant and independent from temperature and strain rate of deformation. The thin dissimilar joints (Fig. 9c) present values of UTS and YS quite similar
because of fracture occurred after few percentage of elongation.
The strain is in fact rather poor and mostly constant.
In order to have indications on the fracture mechanisms,
microhardness have been measured on the longitudinal sections
of a set of warm deformed samples. The results have been reported in Fig. 10. Fig. 10a shows the hardness as a function of distance from fracture surface for the thin 6082T6 similar joints
deformed at 230 C, 103 and 105 s1, while Fig. 10b illustrates
the measurements for the thin dissimilar joint compared with

the 2024T32024T3 one, tensile tested at 230 C and 104 s1.

In the rst graph, the hardness maintains higher values at the
lower strain rate of deformation. The value of strain is very similar
and there is a drop in hardness just close to the fracture surface.
The idea is that the longer exposure (occurring at a strain rate of
105 respect to 104 s1) at 230 C during straining enhances
hardening precipitation of incoherent phases (stable) that have a
more homogeneous effect on strain hardening distribution
[26,30]. The fracture develops in the middle of joint. In Fig. 10b
the differences are very light when considering the 2024T3 side
of the weld for the similar and dissimilar joints. The elongation
of the dissimilar joint is half of the 2024T32024T3. The fracture
always occurred in the middle.
The mode of fracture of tensile tested samples is shown in
Fig. 11. Fig. 11a is a micrograph of the fractured zone. The rupture
occurred in the middle of the stir zone after a light necking. This
behaviour occurred in all the investigated samples and suggested
that the stir zone has a lower plastic deformation capability than
the rest of the sample. For more accurate examinations of fracture
surfaces, tensile samples were cut close to the fracture surface, in
the direction perpendicular to the tensile axis, for scanning electron microscopy observations. Fig. 11b is a fracture surface of the
dissimilar joint tensile tested at 230 C, 104 s1, showing a ductile
mode of fracture, as found in all the condition investigated. In this
sample, moreover, layers of different thickness (Fig. 11c) are visible
due to the presence of the two aluminium alloys in the stir zone,
together with ne dimples.

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E. Cerri, P. Leo / Materials and Design 31 (2010) 13921402

400

2024T3-2024T3

YS
UTS

350

0.14

0.12

300

0.08

200

Strength [MPa]

0.10
250

0.06

150
100

0.04

50

0.02

0.00
170

200
-3

230

170

-4

-1

230

170

200
-5

-1

230
-1

10 s

10 s

10 s

200

200

0.10

6082T6-6082T6

YS
UTS

0.09
0.08

150

0.06
100

0.05

Strength [MPa]

0.07

0.04
0.03
50
0.02
0.01
0

0.00
170

200
-3

230

170

-4

-1

230

170

200
-5

-1

230
-1

10 s

10 s

10 s

200

250

0.10

6082T6-2024T3

YS
UTS

200

0.09
0.08

150

0.06
0.05

Strength [MPa]

0.07

100

0.04
0.03

50

0.02
0.01

0.00
170

200
-3

10 s

230
-1

170

200
-4

10 s

230
-1

170

200
-5

10 s

230
-1

Fig. 9. Tensile properties (Yield Strength, Ultimate Tensile Stress and true strain e) of the joints at warm temperature of deformation. (a) 2024T32024T3 similar joint, (b)
6082T66082T6 similar joint and (c) 6082T62024T3 dissimilar joint.

1401

E. Cerri, P. Leo / Materials and Design 31 (2010) 13921402

150
-5

6082-6082T6

-1

10 s
-4 -1
10 s

140

160
-4

-1

tensile tested at 230C, 10 s

150
140

120

130

HV 0.5

HV 0.5

tensile tested at 230C

130

110

120

100

110

90

100

80

90

70

2024-2024T3
dissimilar

80
-20

-15

-10

-5

10

15

20

distance from fracture surface, mm

-20

-15

-10

-5

10

15

20

distance from fracture surface, mm

Fig. 10. Comparison of microhardness proles in the joints before and after tensile tests performed at warm temperature for (a) 6082T66082T6 deformed at 230 C at strain
rates of 103 and 104 s1, (b) 2024T32024T3 strained at 230 C and 104 s1.

Fig. 11. Mode of fracture of the 6082T62024T3 FSW joint tensile tested at 230 C, 104 s1. (a) Low magnication picture showing the fracture occurring in the middle of the
stir zone. (b) SEM picture of fracture surface in the stir zone and (c) high magnication micrograph showing ne dimples.

4. Conclusions
Friction stir welded joints of 2024T32024T3, 6082T6
6082T6 and 6082T62024T3 of very thin thickness (0.8
mm) were investigated at room and warm temperatures of

deformation by tensile tests and microhardness measurements in a range of 170230 C and 1035  105 s1. The
microstructure evolution was studied by light microscopy, SEM
and X-rays. The following conclusions were drawn from the
results.

1402

E. Cerri, P. Leo / Materials and Design 31 (2010) 13921402

All the thin FSW joints showed the capability to undertake tensile stress at room temperature and at warm temperatures of
deformation. The ow stress curves of the thin dissimilar joints
were in between the similar 6082T66082T6 and 2024T6
2024T6 joints at the investigated experimental conditions.
The stress decreased with increasing temperature and decreasing strain rate. The ductility of the thin joints was quite independent by temperature and strain rate.
Substantial modications in grain size resulted during the FSW
process as evidenced by optical microscopy, while X-rays diffractometry showed the variation of lattice plane distances in
the stir zone. The nuggets, initially constituted by recrystallized
grains with a slight different lattice parameter respect to the
base material, showed microstructure modication during
warm tensile straining, as conrmed by microhardness.
Tensile specimen fractured in the middle of the stir zone after
straining at room temperature or at warm temperature of deformation in a ductile mode. Anyway, even if the ductility was
comparable in different specimens, the microhardness values
fall down at different distances from the rupture point. This
can be attributed to microvoids formation and coalescence,
depending on particle type they encountered.

Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank Ing. P.P. De Marco and Ms.
Todisco for precious help in laboratory techniques.

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