ANALYSIS OF THE PROPERTIES OF AW2099 ALUMINIUM-LITHIUM ALLOY WELDED BY LASER BEAM WITH AW5087 ALUMINIUM-MAGNESIUM FILLER MATERIAL

Abstract

EN AW2099 aluminium lithium alloy, 2.0mm in thickness, was used as an experimental material. EN AW2099 belongs to the 3rd generation of aluminium lithium alloys. The third generation was developed to improve the disadvantages of the previous generation, such as anisotropy in mechanical properties, low fracture toughness, corrosion resistance and resistance to fatigue crack growth, as well. Aluminium magnesium 5087 filler wire with a diameter of 1.2mm was used for the welding. Crack free weld joints were produced after an optimization of welding parameters. The microstructure of weld metal and mechanical properties of weld joints were investigated. Equiaxed zone (EQZ) was observed at the fusion boundary. The character of grains changed in the direction towards the weld centre, from the columnar dendrite zone to equiaxed dendrite zone in the weld centre. The microstructure of the weld metal matrix consisted of -aluminium. Alloying elements enrichment was found at the inter-dendritic areas, namely copper and magnesium. The microhardness decrease in the weld metal due to a dissolution of strengthening precipitates was measured. The microhardness was slightly higher in comparison to a weld produced by a laser welding without a filler material. The tensile strength of the weld joint reached around 67% of the base material’s strength and the fracture occurred in the weld metal.