Diffusion bonding of Al7075 alloy to titanium aluminum vanadate alloy

The aluminum alloy (Al7075) and titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V) are used in a variety of applications in the aerospace industry. However, the high cost of Ti-6Al-4V alloy has been a major factor which has limited its use and therefore, the ability to join Al7075 alloy to Ti-6Al-4V alloy can provide a product that is less costly, but retains the high strength and light weight properties necessary for the transport industry. However, the large difference in the physical properties between these two alloys prevents the use of conventional joining techniques such as fusion welding to join these dissimilar alloys. Therefore, the diffusion bonding technique was used to join Al7075 alloy to Ti-6Al-4V alloy with the objective of minimizing microstructural changes of the two alloys during the bonding process. In this thesis, solid state and liquid phase bonding processes were undertaken. Solid state bonding was employed without interlayers and was successful at 510°C and 7 MPa. The bond interface showed an absence of the oxides due to the dissolution of oxygen into the titanium solution. Bonds made using copper interlayers at a temperature sufficient enough to form eutectic liquid formation between copper and aluminum were produced. The intermetallics theta(Al2Cu), S(Al2CuMg) and T(Al2Mg3Zn3) were identified at the aluminum interface while Cu3Ti2 intermetallic was identified at the titanium interface. Bonds made using tin based alloys interlayers and copper coatings were successful and gave the highest shear strength. The eutectic formation on the Al7075 alloy was responsible for joint formation at the aluminum interface while the formation of Sn3Ti5 intermetallic was responsible for the joint formation at titanium interface. The corrosion rate of the bonds decreased with increasing bonding time for joints made using the tin based interlayer in 3% NaCl solution. However, the presence of copper within the joint increased the corrosion rate of the bonds and this was attributed to the corrosive effect of copper in the Al7075 alloy.