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Local electrochemical properties of laser beam‐welded high‐strength Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloys
Author(s) -
Wloka J.,
Hack T.,
Virtanen S.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
materials and corrosion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.487
H-Index - 55
eISSN - 1521-4176
pISSN - 0947-5117
DOI - 10.1002/maco.200704081
Subject(s) - materials science , welding , metallurgy , corrosion , electrochemistry , laser beam welding , indentation hardness , microcell , electrochemical noise , laser , microstructure , composite material , electrode , optics , chemistry , physics , computer science , operating system
Butt welds of two high‐strength Al–Zn–Mg–Cu alloys with different zinc contents were welded by a laser beam welding technique. Due to the high energy density of the laser beam, the microstructural changes are confined to very thin regions. Electrochemical properties of the weld heat‐affected zones are investigated by local electrochemical measurement techniques and correlated with microhardness measurements, macroscopic corrosion behaviour and metallographic sections. It turned out that microelectrochemical techniques, especially the EC‐pen is a versatile and easy to handle tool for the resolution of changes in the electrochemical properties across a weld bead. It unveils modifications, which cannot be resolved by hardness measurements. By microcell measurements, local corrosion kinetics can be estimated.