Investigation on the Explosive Welding of 1100 Aluminum Alloy and AZ31 Magnesium Alloy

The undesirable properties of magnesium alloys include easy embrittlement, low oxidation resistance, and difficulty in welding with other materials. Their application in industry is, therefore, restricted. In this paper, plates of 1100 aluminum alloy and AZ31 magnesium alloy were successfully welded together using the explosive welding technique. The influences of the welding parameters on the weld quality were investigated. The surface morphology and microstructure near the weld interface were examined by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (equipped with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy), and transmission electron microscopy. The experimental results demonstrated the typical wavy bonding interface. In addition, elemental diffusion with a thickness of approximately 3 μm occurred near the bonding interface. The two plates were joined together well at the atomic scale. Nanograins with a size of approximately 5 nm were observed in the diffusion layer. The microhardness and shear strength were measured to evaluate the mechanical properties, which confirmed that a high quality of bonding was acquired.