Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of refill friction stir spot welded alclad 2A12-T4 aluminum alloy

Refill friction stir spot welding (RFSSW) was applied to join the 2A12-T4 aluminum alloy successfully, and effects of the tool rotational speed on weld formation, microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of the RFSSW joint were investigated in detail. There existed macrostructure characteristics of bonding ligament and hook associated to the plasticized metal flow in the joint. The microstructure of the joint exhibited variations in the grain size, precipitates distribution and substructure in the width direction. A softened region existed in all the RFSSW joints and its formation could be attributed to the coarsening and dissolution of the S precipitates. Liquation cracks associated to the localized melting of S were observed in the stir zone of the joint produced at the highest rotational speed. The tensile-shear properties of the RFSSW joints were dependent on the hook geometry, distribution of the bonding ligament and hardness of the stir zone. With increasing the rotational speed from 900 to 1300 mm, the hook height increased, the bonding ligament at the weld periphery got more dispersed and the hardness of the stir zone decreased. The optimized RFSSW joint was obtained when the rotational speed was 1300 rpm, and the corresponding tensile-shear failure load was 10,030 N. Two different fracture modes, i.e. the shear fracture mode and shear-plug fracture mode, were identified in the tensile-shear tests.