Evaluation of Corrosion and Its Impact on the Mechanical Performance of Al–Steel Joints

Wen, Weiling; Carlson, Blair; Banu, Mihaela

doi:10.3390/ma17143542

Evaluation of Corrosion and Its Impact on the Mechanical Performance of Al–Steel Joints

Journal Article · Wed Jul 17 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17143542· OSTI ID:2403600

Wen, Weiling; Carlson, Blair;

Aluminum–steel joints are increasingly used in the automotive industry to meet the requirements for energy saving and emission reduction. Among various joining technologies, self-pierce riveting (SPR) and resistance spot welding (RSW) are two well-established technologies for fabricating dissimilar joints with stable and high mechanical performance. However, corrosion will occur in these joints inevitably due to different electrochemical properties, which can degrade the surface quality and the mechanical performance, such as strength. This paper presents a method of understanding the corrosion mechanisms in joining aluminum and steel. For this understanding, a hybrid method combining experimental observations, mechanical properties identification, and analytical approaches was used to assess the evolution of the impact of corrosion on the joining performance, such as traction separation curves. The study was conducted on common combinations used in the vehicles, e.g., a 1.2 mm thickness aluminum alloy (AA 6022) and 2.0 mm thickness hot deep galvanized steel (HDG HSLA 340) joined by SPR and RSW. After the fabrication of these joints, accelerated cyclic corrosion tests of up to 104 cycles were performed, which reproduced the environmental conditions to which a vehicle was exposed. By investigating the microstructural evolution within the joints, the corrosion mechanisms of SPR and RSW joints were revealed, including the initiation and propagation. Moreover, the intrinsic impact of the corrosion on the mechanical performance, including the strength, axial stiffness, and crashworthiness, was analyzed by performing a lap-shear test. It showed that as corrosion proceeds, the fracture modes and mechanical performance are affected significantly.

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0008456

OSTI ID:: 2403600

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2580310

Journal Information:: Materials, Journal Name: Materials Journal Issue: 14 Vol. 17; ISSN MATEG9; ISSN 1996-1944

Publisher:: MDPI AGCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: Switzerland

Language:: English

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