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Hybrid ultrasonic spot welding of aluminum to carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites

Ultrasonic metal welding has been applied for joining aluminum AA5754 sheets to a thermoset matrix composite consisting in a carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin (CF/epoxy). To overcome the limitations of thermosetting resins, that, unlike thermoplastic polymers, cannot melt due to their chemical str...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of materials processing technology 2017-09, Vol.247, p.289-295
Main Authors: Lionetto, Francesca, Balle, Frank, Maffezzoli, Alfonso
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Ultrasonic metal welding has been applied for joining aluminum AA5754 sheets to a thermoset matrix composite consisting in a carbon fiber reinforced epoxy resin (CF/epoxy). To overcome the limitations of thermosetting resins, that, unlike thermoplastic polymers, cannot melt due to their chemical structure, a thermoplastic film of Polyamide 6 (PA6) has been used as a surface layer of the CF/epoxy stack before curing. The functional surface created on the thermoset matrix composite enables a fast welding with a metallic sheet. By a proper selection of welding energy and force, an average adhesion strength of 34.8MPa has been obtained on CF/epoxy-PA6-AA5754 ultrasonically welded joints. The morphological characterization has revealed that the aluminum-composite interface is characterized by carbon fibers in a direct contact or even embedded in aluminum, whose surface presents pores and crevices due to the pronounced plastic deformation of the Al interfacial area.
ISSN:0924-0136
1873-4774
DOI:10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2017.05.002