Parametric study on joint quality in friction stir welding of polycarbonate. (2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sahu, Santosh K.; Pal, Kamal; Das, Susmita
• Is Part Of: Materials today. Volume 39:Part 4(2021)
• Page Start: 1275
• Page End: 1280
• Publication Date: 2021
• Subjects: Polycarbonate -- Friction stir welding -- Tool rotation -- Weld interface -- Joint efficiency; Materials science -- Congresses -- Periodicals; 620.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2020.04.218
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2214-7853

Abstract

Abstract: Now-a-days the use of thermoplastics is vastly popular in advanced industrial sectors due to unique mechanical properties. Friction stir welding is found to be unique of the major joining technologies to overcome heat induced fusion welding inadequacies. This friction stirred solid state welding technique can be magnificently used to join various challenging to weld materials. In this paper, the probability of friction stir butt welding has been scrutinized using a cylindrical tool on poor thermal conductive polycarbonate thermoplastic. The response of tool rotational speed and tool traverse speed on joint strength along with micro-hardness deviation along the centerline of weld has been studied. The maximum joint efficiency was found to be 37.01% at an intermediate tool rotational speed and a welding speed of 1800 rpm and 20 mm/min respectively, keeping tool tilt angle constant at 1°. The average joint strength was found to be poor at low tool rotational speed and high tool traverse speed although both process variables were significant over joint quality. The advancing side of the weld zone was found to be weaker in comparison to the number of failures during tensile test. The stress elongation profile specified a brittle failure in the heat induced weld interface welds similar to base polycarbonate. However, the joint efficiency was found to be reduced drastically due to predominant material scooping from advancing to rear side along with significant hardness variation from stirred weld zone to heat influenced zone interface as per the hardness deviation graph.