Abstract
Resistance spot-welded galvanized ultrahigh-strength steels are sensitive to liquid metal embrittlement (LME), which is manifested by surface cracks on the joints. LME occurs when a solid metal contacts a liquid metal under tensile stress, and the phenomenon has not been fully understood until now, especially for resistance spot welding. In this study, the susceptibility of hot-dipped galvanized Q&P980 steel to LME cracking during resistance spot welding was systematically investigated by an orthogonal experiment. Cracks were detected by fluorescent magnetic particle testing and cross-sectional microscopic observation. Cracks were mostly located at the indentation edge and slope, and a few cracks were also located at the indentation center and slope periphery. The severity of the cracking increased with the increasing welding current and welding time, and the decreasing electrode force. The sequence of influence degree from high to low was welding current > electrode force > welding time. Holding time had no obvious effect. Microstructural analysis revealed that the content of martensite in areas with cracking increased, indicating that a high temperature was experienced at these locations. Zinc accumulated inside the cracks, and the cracks were intergranular, which coincides with the characteristics of LME. The LME cracking was provoked by the simultaneous occurrence of a tensile stress, an appropriate temperature and liquid metal, and the cracks were influenced by the welding parameters. Under suitable conditions, Zn diffused along the grain boundaries and weakened them, resulting in LME cracking.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
R. Modaresi, S. Pauliuk, A. N. Løvik and D. B. Müller: Environ. Sci. Technol., 2014, vol. 48, pp. 10776-84.
R. Kuziak, R. Kawalla and S. Waengler: Arch. Civ. Mech. Eng., 2008, vol. 8, pp. 103-17.
D. Bhattacharya: Materials Science & Technology, 2018, vol. 34, pp. 1809-29.
M. H. Kamdar: Treatise Mater. Sci. Technol., 1983, vol. 25, pp. 361-459.
P. J. L. Fernandes and D. R. H. Jones: Eng. Failure Anal., 1996, vol. 3, pp. 299-302.
C. Beal, X. Kleber, D. Fabregue and M. Bouzekri: Philos. Mag. Lett., 2011, vol. 91, pp. 297-303.
C. Beal, X. Kleber, D. Fabregue and M. Bouzekri: Scr. Mater., 2012, vol. 66, pp. 1030-33.
C. Beal, X. Kleber, D. Fabregue and M. Bouzekri: Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2012, vol. 543, pp. 76-83.
R. Frappier, P. Paillard, R. L. Gall and T. Dupuy: Adv. Mater. Res., 2014, vol. 922, pp. 161-66.
C. W. Lee, D. W. Fan, I. R. Sohn, S. J. Lee and B. C. De Cooman: Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2012, vol. 43, pp. 5122-27.
L. Cho, H. Kang, C. Lee and B. C. De Cooman: Scr. Mater., 2014, vol. 90, pp. 25-28.
C. W. Lee, W. S. Choi, L. Cho, Y. R. Cho and B. C. De Cooman: ISIJ Inter., 2015, vol. 55, pp. 264-71.
K. Pańcikiewicz, L. Tuz and A. Zielińska-Lipiec: Eng. Failure Anal., 2014, vol. 39, pp. 149-54.
M. H. Razmpoosh, A. Macwan, E. Biro, D. L. Chen, Y. Peng, F. Goodwin and Y. Zhou: Mater. Des., 2018, vol. 155, pp. 375-83.
E. Tolf, J. HedegaRd and A. Melander: Sci. Technol. Weld. Join., 2013, vol. 18, pp. 25-31.
Y. G. Kim, I. J. Kim, S. K. Ji, Y. I. Chung and Y. C. Du: Mater. Trans., 2014, vol. 55, pp. 171-75.
D. Y. Choi, A. Sharma, S. H. Uhm and J. P. Jung: Met. Mater. Int., 2018, vol. 25, pp. 219-28.
R. Ashiri, M. A. Haque, C. W. Ji, M. Shamanian, H. R. Salimijazi and Y. D. Park: Scr. Mater., 2015, vol. 109, pp. 6-10.
R. Ashiri, M. Shamanian, H. R. Salimijazi, M. A. Haque, J. H. Bae, C. W. Ji, K. G. Chin, Y. D. Park: Scr. Mater., 2016, vol. 114, pp. 41-47.
R. Ashiri, H. Mostaan and Y. D. Park: Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2018, vol. 49, pp. 6161-72.
J. Barthelmie, A. Schram and V. Wesling, Liquid Metal Embrittlement in Resistance Spot Welding and Hot Tensile Tests of Surface-Refined TWIP Steels. (IOP Publishing, Bristol, 2016). https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899x/118/1/012002
J. Frei and M. Rethmeier: Weld. World, 2018, vol. 62, pp. 1031-37.
L. Wang and J. G. Speer: Metallogr., Microstruct., Anal., 2013, vol. 2, pp. 268-81.
M. Milititsky, E. Pakalnins, C. Jiang, and A. K. Thompson: SAE Technical Paper, 2003, No. 2003-01-0520.
A. Taram, C. Roquelet, P. Meilland, T. Dupuy, C. Kaczynski, J. L. Bodnar and T. Duvaut: Appl. Opt., 2018, vol. 57, pp. D63-D68.
H. Gaul, S. Brauser, G. Weber and M. Rethmeier: Weld. World, 2011, vol. 55, pp. 99-106.
P. E. Mix: Introduction to Nondestructive Testing: A Training Guide, 2nd ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey, 2005, pp. 247–99.
T. Mori and S.-C. Tsai: Taguchi methods: benefits, impacts, mathematics, statistics, and applications. ASME Press, New York, 2011.
M. Mochizuki, S. Matsushima, M, Toyoda and C. Thaulow (2005) Weld. Int. 19:702-10.
V. Kuklík and J. Kudlacek: Hot-dip galvanizing of steel structures. Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, 2016, pp. 29-39.
L. Aucott, D. Huang, H.B. Dong, S.W. Wen, J. Marsden, A. Rack, and A.C.F. Cocks: Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2018, vol. 49A, pp. 1674-82.
P. J. L. Fernandes and D. R. H. Jones: Int. Mater. Rev, 1997, vol. 42, pp. 251-61.
H. Kang, L. Cho, C. Lee and B. C. De Cooman: Metall. Mater. Trans. A, 2016, vol. 47, pp. 2885-905.
H. Lee, M. C. Jo, S. S. Sohn, S.-H. Kim, T. Song, S.-K. Kim, H. S. Kim, N. J. Kim and S. Lee: Mater. Charact., 2019, vol. 147, pp. 233-41.
K. D. Bauer, M. Todorova, K. Hingerl and J. Neugebauer: Acta Mater., 2015, vol. 90, pp. 69-76.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to appreciate the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 51871154 and The National Key Research and Development Program of China, No. 2017YFB0304403.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Manuscript submitted October 18, 2018.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ling, Z., Chen, T., Kong, L. et al. Liquid Metal Embrittlement Cracking During Resistance Spot Welding of Galvanized Q&P980 Steel. Metall Mater Trans A 50, 5128–5142 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-019-05388-6
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-019-05388-6