Grain structures in aluminum alloy GTA welds

Abstract

The grain structures in two dimensional GTA welds of a number of commercial aluminum alloys have been studied in order to clarify the mechanisms of grain refinement in welds. At low welding speeds and heat inputs the structures were either axial (continuous grains along the weld centerline) or stray (intermittent new grains). At higher speeds and heat inputs the structures were generally either columnar to the weld centerline, or contained some equiaxed grains at the center. Regression analyses indicated that both stray grains and equiaxed grains were favored by increased titanium content. In several alloys, titanium-rich compounds, and in one alloy, zirconium-rich compounds were found at the centers of dendrites. It is concluded that both stray and equiaxed grains originate by heterogeneous nucleation, with possible secondary effects due to constitutional undercooling.