Computed Tomography and Scanning Electron Microscopy Analysis of a Friction Stir Welded Al-Cu Joint

Abstract

The study aimed touse3D computed tomography (CT) to analyse a joint between two dissimilar materials produced by friction stir welding (FSW). As the materials joined, i.e., aluminum and copper, differ in properties (e.g., density and melting point), the weld is predicted to have an inhomogeneous microstructure. The investigations involved applying microfocus computed tomography (micro-CT) to visualize and analyze the volumetric structure of the joint. Volume rendering is extremely useful because, unlike computer modelling, which requires many simplifications, it helps create highly accurate representations of objects. Image segmentation into regions was performed through global gray-scale thresholding. The analysis also included elemental mapping of the weld cross-sections using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and examination of its surface morphology by means of optical microscopy (OP). The joint finds its use in developing elements used in the chemical, energetics and aerospace industries, due to the excellent possibilities of combining many different properties, and above all, reducing the weight of the structure.

Keywords

• friction stir welding
• non-destructive testing
• radiographic inspection
• computed tomography