Effects of post-weld heat treatment on dissimilar metal joint between aluminum alloy and stainless steel

Lap joining of 5A02 aluminum alloy to 304 stainless steel sheets was conducted by gas tungsten arc welding with Zn–15%Al flux-cored filler wire, and the effects of the temperature and duration time during post-weld heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the resultant joints were investigated. The experimental results show that the concentration and size of the Zn-rich phases in the weld, especially along the weld/steel interface, changed with different temperature and duration time, and consequently affected the joint strength. The fine Zn-rich phases uniformly distributed in the weld could enhance the joint strength; however, the coarse Zn-rich phases along the interfacial layer would degrade the bonding strength of the interfacial layer. The fractured surfaces of the specimens after tensile testing were also examined.