Characterization of Joint Developed by Fusion of Aluminum Metal Powder through Microwave Hybrid Heating. (2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Singh, Shivinder; Suri, N.M.; Belokar, R.M.
• Is Part Of: Materials today. Volume 2:Number 4/5(2015)
• Page Start: 1340
• Page End: 1346
• Publication Date: 2015
• Subjects: Microwave joining -- Aluminum metal -- SEM -- XRD; Materials science -- Congresses -- Periodicals; 620.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2015.07.052
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2214-7853

Abstract

Abstract: Metallurgical joining of high thermal conductivity materials like aluminum has been technically challenging. This paper illustrates a novel method for joining of bulk metallic materials through microwave heating. Joining of aluminum alloy in bulk form has been carried out using microwave energy in a multimode applicator at 2.45 GHz and 900 W. SiC was used at both top and bottom of the workpiece as susceptor material to facilitate microwave hybrid heating (MHH). Aluminum in plate forms have been successfully joined through microwave heating within 600 s of exposure time. A sandwich layer of aluminum powder with approximately 0.5 mm thickness was introduced between the two candidate surfaces. Near complete melting of the powder particles in the sandwich layer does take place during the microwave exposure leading to metallurgical bonding of the bulk surfaces. Characterisation of the joints has been carried out through microstructure study, elemental analysis, phase analysis, microhardness survey, X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern indicates that some aluminum powder particles got transformed into aluminum oxides. A dense uniform microstructure with good metallurgical bonds between the sandwich layer and the interface was obtained. The hardness of the joint area was observed to be 72.4 ± 10 Hv.