Effects of friction stir welding parameters on microstructures and mechanical properties of brass joints

Abstract

5 mm thick brass plates were successfully friction stir welded at the tool rotation rates from 400 to 1000 rpm for a constant traverse speed of 100 mm/min. The nugget zone (NZ) consisted of the incompletely and completely- recrystallized regions. With increasing rotation rates, the fraction of the non-recrystallized grains decreased and the size of the recrystallized grains increased. The hardness values in the NZs were higher than those in the parent material (PM). Increasing the rotation rate did not exert a noticeable effect on the tensile and yield strengths of the welds, but increased the elongation. The tensile and yield strengths of the welds reached up to ∼99 and 80% of the PM, respectively. The fracture occurred in the heat affected zone that had the lowest hardness. © 2008 The Japan Institute of Metals.