Ball impact cladding of metals with dissimilar metallic foils

Ball impact cladding is a process in which solid-state welding of a foil and substrate is carried out in a vibration mill. The principle of the process is that a substrate and foil are fixed at the top of a vibration chamber. During the subsequent mechano-activation process, the materials are subjected to high-energy collision with balls. As a ball collides with the surface, the foil is cold welded to the substrate. This is a simple and effective method for joining materials, and it also results in the formation of nanostructures. For example, the welding of Cu and Al foils to Al, Ti, and steel substrates has been attempted. Diffusion and plastic flow of materials under ball collisions were the main joining mechanisms contributing to welding. Under the ball collisions a nanograin structure was formed across the foil and at the interface of the substrates. The cladding foils had a good adhesion to substrates.