One type of advanced high-strength steel, transformation-induced plasticity (TRIP) 780 steel, has been successfully welded to aluminum alloy Al 6061-T6 using friction stir welding (FSW) technique. The major Al-Fe interface in the steel side has been analyzed in detail under various welding conditions, where a thin layer of intermetallic compound (IMC) with a thickness of less than 1 μm can be generally observed and the composition was identified to be either FeAl or Fe 3 Al. This thin IMC layer can be shown to be beneficial for joint strength. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed the weld nugget was distributed with sheared-off steel fragments encompassed IMC layers or simply IMC particles. Finally, a stirred-over steel strip embedded in the aluminum matrix was revealed, which would determine the failure mode and is crucial to joint quality based on tensile test results.
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