Microstructure and Corrosion Behavior of Friction Stir-Welded 6061 Al/AZ31 Mg Joints with a Zr Interlayer

Friction stir welding (FSW) with a Zr interlayer was employed to join dissimilar alloys of 6061 Al and AZ31 Mg. The microstructures of Al/Mg and Al/Zr/Mg joints were investigated by optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDS). The results showed that the central part of the Zr interlayer was smashed and intermixed with the base materials in the stir zone, whereas the undamaged part remained stable at the Al/Mg interface. The formation of Al–Mg intermetallic compounds (IMCs) was suppressed by the Zr interlayer due to its synergetic effects of chemical modification and thermal barrier. The electrochemical measurements revealed a differentiated corrosion behavior for each joint, where the corrosion rate of representative regions increased in the order of Al alloy < Mg alloy < heat-affected zone < stir zone. The immersion tests indicated an enhancement in corrosion resistance for the Al/Zr/Mg joint compared with the Al/Mg joint, which is owing to the mitigated galvanic corrosion between the base materials by the Zr interlayer.