Effect of multi-pass friction stir processing on the microstructure and microhardness of AA6063 / NiO composite

Enhancing the strength, hardness, and wear resistance of aluminum alloys can be done through composite forming. According to the methods of production, composites can be classified into two types: ex situ and in situ composites. In ex situ composites, the reinforcing particles do not interact with the matrix, whereas in in situ composites, a chemical reaction occurs between the reinforcing particles and the matrix. Friction stir processing (FSP) is a promising approach to forming in situ composites, as it involves the frictional mixing of solid-state metal through the combined rotational and linear movement of the tool. The aim of this work was to study the impact of multi-pass FSP on the microstructure and microhardness of the in situ composite formed on the surface of an AA6063 alloy with pre-incorporated NiO particles. For this purpose, 4-, 10-, and 20‑pass FSP of AA6063 alloy sheets with grooves filled with fine NiO powder were performed. The chemical reaction between NiO and the aluminum matrix leading to the formation of Al3Ni and Al2O3 was studied using EDS, EBSD and X-ray diffraction techniques. It was found that the quantity of Al3Ni and Al2O3 particles increased with the number of FSP passes. The maximum surface microhardness of 253 HV is reached after 10 passes. As the number of FSP passes increases, the grain / subgrain sizes of the aluminum matrix decrease. After 10 passes, the grain / subgrain sizes stabilize at a level of 0.8 – 0.9 μm.