Effect of friction pressure on microstructure and mechanical properties of friction welded joint between alumina and 1100 aluminum alloy

Friction welding (FW) is a solid-state joining process that has received considerable attention in recent years due to its efficacy in joining similar and dissimilar materials. In this experimental study, dissimilar joints of alumina (Al2O3) ceramic and 1100 aluminum alloy were produced by friction welding. The objective was to investigate the impact of welding parameters on the mechanical and structural properties of the welded joints. Welding processes were conducted using a continuous drive friction welding (CDFW) machine, under different friction pressures (20, 34 and 45 MPa), whereas other welding parameters are kept constant. The strength and mechanical properties of the welded Joints were assessed by means of a three-point bending test and Vickers micro-hardness measurements. Furthermore, the microstructure of the Joints was examined using optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that friction pressure has a significant effect on the structural and mechanical properties of the joints.