Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc.

China 22(2012) s614−s618

Effect of SiC particles on microstructure and mechanical property of

friction stir processed AA6061-T4

Don-Hyun CHOI1, Yong-Il KIM2, DAE-Up KIM3, Seung-Boo JUNG1,2

1. School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University,
300 Cheoncheon-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 440-746, Korea;
2. MEPL, Sungkyunkwan University, 300 Cheoncheon-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 440-746, Korea;
3. KITECH, 838-11, Palbok-dong 2-ga, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju-city, Jeollabuk-do 561-844, Korea
Received 21 May 2012; accepted 9 October 2012

Abstract: Friction stir processing of AA6061-T4 alloy with SiC particles was successfully carried out. SiC particles were uniformly
dispersed into an AA6061-T4 matrix. Also SiC particles promoted the grain refinement of the AA6061-T4 matrix by FSP. The mean
grain size of the stir zone (SZ) with the SiC particles was obviously smaller than that of the stir zone without the SiC particles. The
microhardness of the SZ with the SiC particles reached about HV80 due to the grain refinement and the distribution of the SiC
particles.
Key words: friction stir processing; AA6061-T4; SiC particles; pinning effect

Previous study shows that PM processes involving

1 Introduction mixing by ball milling, successfully produced Al–Al2O3
composites with particle concentrations of up to 30%
Good strength-to-mass ratio, high thermal (volume fraction) [8]. Promising tribological properties
conductivity, and good corrosion resistance have made were demonstrated. However, these PM processes are
aluminum alloys very popular as structural materials. costly and as such have restricted the part sizes and
However, their relatively poor wear resistance has geometries of the final product. In addition, the high
limited their tribological applications. The use of ceramic ceramic concentration significantly reduces the ductility
particles, such as silicon carbide and aluminum oxide, as and thermal conductivity of the material.
reinforcements to form aluminum matrix composites Recently, much attention has been paid to the
have been well studied [1−5]. Recent research has friction stir processing (FSP) for its promise as a
demonstrated that, for a fixed concentration, smaller solid-state surface modification technique [9−11]. A
particles usually produce stronger and harder composites rotating tool with a specially designed pin and shoulder
[5]. This finding has led to a number of studies on is inserted into a substrate and produces a highly
developing nano- or sub-micro-particles reinforced plastically deformed zone (stir zone). It is well known
aluminum composites. These have mostly involved that the stir zone consists of fine and equiaxed grains
either casting or powder metallurgy (PM) processes. For produced by dynamic recrystallization [11]. FSP has also
cast composites, the particle volume fraction is limited to been used to fabricate surface composites. MISHRA et al
2% (volume fraction) [6,7] because the low density of [11] fabricated Al/SiCp surface composites by FSP, they
the nano- or sub-micro-powder causes it to occupy a showed that SiC particles were well distributed in the Al
large space, making it difficult to add into melted metal. matrix and good bonding with the Al matrix was
Although a substantial increase in strength has been obtained. As the processing of the surface composite
observed in low particle concentration cast composites, during FSP is carried out at temperatures below
enhancement of wear resistance has been limited. the melting point of the substrate, problems seen in

Foundation item: Project (10038688) supported by the Fundamental R&D Program for Core Technology of Materials Funded by the Ministry of Knowledge
Economy, Republic of Korea
Corresponding author: Seung-Boo JUNG; Tel: +82-31-2907359; E-mail: sbjung@skku.edu
DOI: 10.1016/S1003-6326(12)61773-7
 Don-Hyun CHOI, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 22(2012) s614−s618 s615
conventional techniques based on liquid phase tape. At first, the back side is FSPed and the front side is
processing at high temperatures can be avoided. welded after the strip of aluminum tape. All FSP
Therefore, in this work, the effect of SiC particles experiments were carried out at room temperature using
on the microstructure, powder distribution pattern, a double pass method (back side and from side).
microhardness values of friction stir processed As-processed workpieces were cut transverse to the
AA6061-T4 was investigated. FSW direction, mechanically polished, and etched with
Keller’s reagent (1 mL hydrofluoric acid, 1.5 mL
2 Experimental hydrochloric acid, and 2.5 mL nitric acid in 95 mL
distilled water). Microstructural changes were observed
The base metal (BM) used in this work was the AA by employing optical microscopy (OM) and scanning
6061 alloy with 4 mm thickness rolled plates. It was electron microscopy (SEM) at the cross sections
heat-treated and naturally aged to a T4 stable condition. perpendicular to the FSP direction.
This alloy, in the T4 condition, has good hemming The Vickers hardness profile of the joint was
properties, good weldability, very good corrosion measured at the cross section and perpendicular to the
resistance and formability with no stretcher strain marks. welding direction using a Vickers indenter with a 0.98 N
AA6061 is a typical commercial alloy containing (mass load for 10 s.
fraction) 0.92% Mg, 0.57% Si and a very small amount
of the other additives. This material is commonly used in 3 Results and discussion
aircraft, automobile, shipbuilding and other pressured
vessels. The tool rotation rate was set to 1600 r/min, and Figure 2 shows the optical macrostructure and the
its advancing speed was 80 mm/min. related microstructures of each region indicated in the
A groove with a depth and width of 1 and 2 mm was macrostructure. The SZ is wider near the upper surface
machined out of the AA6061 workpieces for inserting than around the lower surface producing a semi-sphere
the SiC particles. A schematic illustration of the FSP shape because the upper surface experiences extreme
setup is shown in Fig. 1. In order to prevent sputtering of deformation and frictional heat caused by direct contact
the powders and their ejection from the groove during with the welded plates of the cylindrical tool shoulder.
processing, the groove was initially closed by aluminum Local variation of the microstructure can be seen because
each SZ experienced different thermomechanical
conditions [12]. Macroscopic examination of the SZ
reveals a relative non-symmetric shape that is mainly
associated with the tilt angle of the tool and the relation
between the tool rotation direction and the welding
direction [13]. It is apparent that the SZ exhibits a high
degree of continuity and is not porous. Unlike that of the
base metal (BM, Fig. 2(a)), the SZ (Fig. 2(b)) has fine
and equiaxed grains and the grain size is much smaller
than that of the BM. This structure was showed dynamic
recrystallization and static grain growth after welding,
this was caused by frictional heat and plastic deformation
[14,15]. It is evident that the original grain structure was
microscopically upset in the thermo-mechanically
affected zone (TMAZ, Fig. 2(c)) and a transient
microstructure between the SZ and heat affected zone
(HAZ, Fig. 2(d)) was obtained. The elongated and
dynamic recovered grain structure is characterized in
TMAZ because of the thermal and deformation
conditions were not sufficient to produce a recrystallized
grain structure [16]. The HAZ has a similar grain size to
the unaffected BM. The mechanical conditions and
temperature in the HAZ were not sufficient to promote
grain growth or macroscopically to deform the BM.
The optical macro and microstructure of the FSPed
Fig. 1 Schematic illustration of FSP process of AA6061-T4 AA6061-T4 with SiC particles is shown in Fig. 3. In
with SiC particles spite of the groove, no cracks or defects are observed in
s616 Don-Hyun CHOI, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 22(2012) s614−s618

Fig. 2 Optical macro cross-sectional image and microstructure in each region of FSPed AA6061-T4 without SiC particles: (a) BM;
(b) SZ; (c) TMAZ; (d) HAZ

Fig. 3 Optical macro cross-sectional image and microstructure in each region of FSPed AA6061-T4 without SiC particles: (a) BM;
(b) SZ; (c) TMAZ(AS); (d) TMAZ(RS)
 Don-Hyun CHOI, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 22(2012) s614−s618 s617
the SZ. The SZ shape is nearly the same as the SZ nucleation of new grains at preferential sites takes place.
without SiC particles, but some black lines observed in Then, the fine nuclei of grains start growing and finally a
the SZ. It seems that the black lines are related with the microstructure containing fine equiaxed grains are
distribution of SiC particles. In the TMAZ, SiC particles created. Fine-grain microstructures have large areas of
are distributed along some parallel bands in the matrix grain boundary and therefore have a large amount of
(Figs. 3(b)−(c)). stored energy. As such, they are inherently susceptible to
FSP also led to grain refinement of the Al matrix, as grain growth during high-temperature deformation.
can be seen by comparing the microstructures for SZ Therefore, when approaching the lowest level of energy,
without SiC particles and SZ with SiC particles, as seen new fine grains start growing. The dispersion of SiC
in Fig. 4. The microstructure of the BM is shown in Fig. particles help to prevent this grain growth, grain size of
4(a), its grain size is about 30 µm. Figure 4(b) shows the SZ with SiC particles is decreased to 3 µm. The pinning
microstructure of the SZ without SiC particles. The grain effect of SiC particles during grain growth impedes the
size is about 15 µm in this region. The phenomenon migration of grain boundaries. Decreasing the particle
which causes thermo-mechanically processed materials size intensifies the pinning of the grain boundary due to
to have very small grains is called dynamic the larger number of particles in the same volume
recrystallization. During this process, material undergoes fraction. In addition, it is worth mentioning that SiC
severe plastic deformation. During plastic deformation, particles cause inhomogeneous local deformation that
the grains are broken and a large number of low-angle assists the break-up of the grains. Consequently, it can be
misorientated grain boundaries are created; furthermore concluded that the decreasing the size of the SiC
highly favorable locations for nucleating recrystallization particles: increases the nucleation sites, intensifies the
are produced. During dynamic recrystallization (DRX) pinning effect of particles and increases the break-up of
low angle boundaries transform to high angle ones and pre-existing grains.
Figures 5(a)−(c) show the SEM micrographs of the
microstructure of the SZ, TMAZ at AS and RS with SiC
particles. The TMAZ, where both thermal and plastic
deformation effects were evident, is composed of SiC
particles and recrystallized grains. The former have an
obvious orientation along the metal-flow direction
induced by stirring. In the SZ, the original microstructure
of the BM changed to a fine recrystallized grain structure,
and SiC particles were homogeneously distributed in the
Al matrix due to plastic deformation and stirring. Also by
comparing the amount of SiC particles in the TMAZ
between AS and RS, we get further confirmation this
phenomenon is explained by material flow. It is well
known that material flow occurs from RS to AS during
FSW. Considering this result, it seems that SiC particles
in the groove at the center of the specimens were
differently distributed between AS and RS, and more SiC
particles were distributed at AS than at RS. However, it
is worth noting that the SiC particles existed in all three
zones, i.e., the SZ, TMAZ at AS and RS, although their
volume fraction differed.
Hardness profiles of the FSPed AA6061-T4 with
and without SiC particles are shown in Fig. 6. FSPed
sample without SiC particles has homogeneous hardness
profiles. Its average hardness value is about HV55,
which is identical to that of the T4 B. No change in the
hardness profiles suggests that the re-precipitation of the
stable or metastable precipitates does not occur during
the welding, since the precipitation is sensitive to the
hardness values in precipitation-hardenable Al alloys.
Fig. 4 Optical microstructures of each regions: (a) BM; (b) SZ However, in the SZ with SiC particles, we can see that
without SiC particles; (c) SZ with SiC particles the hardness of the SZ was higher than that of the BM;
s618 Don-Hyun CHOI, et al/Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China 22(2012) s614−s618
hardness due to dispersion strengthening mechanism.

4 Conclusions
1) Fabricated composite material with SiC particles
in AA6061-T4 were produced successfully by FSP.
2) In the SZ, the original microstructure of the BM
changed to a fine recrystallized grain structure, and SiC
particles were homogeneously distributed in the Al
matrix due to mechanical stirring.
3) The mechanical property such as hardness of the
SZ is improved by reducing of grain size and dispersed
SiC particles.

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(Edited by YANG You-ping)
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