Solid-liquid composite diffusion in Al/Mg bimetallic joints with the Ni/Cu interlayer

Al/Mg bimetallic materials combine the complementary advantages of aluminum and magnesium alloys, demonstrating significant potential for lightweight structural and aerospace applications. However, the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds at the Al/Mg interface during diffusion bonding sever...

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Main Authors: Wenbo Wang, Wensheng Liu, Lun Yang, Yunzhu Ma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Materials Research and Technology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425016588
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author Wenbo Wang
Wensheng Liu
Lun Yang
Yunzhu Ma
author_facet Wenbo Wang
Wensheng Liu
Lun Yang
Yunzhu Ma
author_sort Wenbo Wang
collection DOAJ
description Al/Mg bimetallic materials combine the complementary advantages of aluminum and magnesium alloys, demonstrating significant potential for lightweight structural and aerospace applications. However, the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds at the Al/Mg interface during diffusion bonding severely weakens interfacial bonding strength. To address this issue, the Ni/Cu composite interlayer was introduced to simultaneously achieve solid-state diffusion with the Al matrix and liquid-phase-assisted diffusion with the Mg matrix, thereby tailoring the interfacial structure and enhancing mechanical performance. The results reveal that as the bonding temperature increases from 460 °C to 500 °C, the Ni/Al interface consistently remains in a solid-state diffusion regime, while the Cu foil at the Mg side undergoes a transition from solid-state to liquid-phase diffusion, forming a Mg–Cu eutectic liquid. This transient liquid phase improves interfacial wettability, facilitates atomic transport, and is subsequently extruded under applied pressure. As a result, a three-dimensional wavy interface morphology develops on the Mg side, accompanied by the formation of Mg3AlNi2 and Mg2Ni intermetallic layers. At 500 °C, the Al/Mg interface evolves into a multilayered structure comprising: Al/Al3Ni2 + Al3Ni/Ni/Mg2Ni/Mg3AlNi2/Mg, achieving a maximum interfacial shear strength of 53.78 MPa. Fracture analysis indicates that failure occurs between the Mg3AlNi2 and Mg2Ni phase layers. These findings demonstrate that the Ni/Cu composite interlayer effectively suppresses the direct reaction between Al and Mg, achieving synergistic enhancement through solid-state diffusion on the Al side and liquid-phase diffusion on the Mg side.
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institution Kabale University
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spelling doaj-art-57e7e61b6ff44cd286d908a95766d1192025-08-20T03:50:06ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542025-07-01373315332310.1016/j.jmrt.2025.06.235Solid-liquid composite diffusion in Al/Mg bimetallic joints with the Ni/Cu interlayerWenbo Wang0Wensheng Liu1Lun Yang2Yunzhu Ma3National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on High-Strength Structural Materials, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, ChinaNational Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on High-Strength Structural Materials, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, ChinaCorresponding author.; National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on High-Strength Structural Materials, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, ChinaCorresponding author.; National Key Laboratory of Science and Technology on High-Strength Structural Materials, Central South University, Changsha, 410083, ChinaAl/Mg bimetallic materials combine the complementary advantages of aluminum and magnesium alloys, demonstrating significant potential for lightweight structural and aerospace applications. However, the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds at the Al/Mg interface during diffusion bonding severely weakens interfacial bonding strength. To address this issue, the Ni/Cu composite interlayer was introduced to simultaneously achieve solid-state diffusion with the Al matrix and liquid-phase-assisted diffusion with the Mg matrix, thereby tailoring the interfacial structure and enhancing mechanical performance. The results reveal that as the bonding temperature increases from 460 °C to 500 °C, the Ni/Al interface consistently remains in a solid-state diffusion regime, while the Cu foil at the Mg side undergoes a transition from solid-state to liquid-phase diffusion, forming a Mg–Cu eutectic liquid. This transient liquid phase improves interfacial wettability, facilitates atomic transport, and is subsequently extruded under applied pressure. As a result, a three-dimensional wavy interface morphology develops on the Mg side, accompanied by the formation of Mg3AlNi2 and Mg2Ni intermetallic layers. At 500 °C, the Al/Mg interface evolves into a multilayered structure comprising: Al/Al3Ni2 + Al3Ni/Ni/Mg2Ni/Mg3AlNi2/Mg, achieving a maximum interfacial shear strength of 53.78 MPa. Fracture analysis indicates that failure occurs between the Mg3AlNi2 and Mg2Ni phase layers. These findings demonstrate that the Ni/Cu composite interlayer effectively suppresses the direct reaction between Al and Mg, achieving synergistic enhancement through solid-state diffusion on the Al side and liquid-phase diffusion on the Mg side.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425016588Al/Mg bimetallic materialsNi/Cu interlayerDiffusion bondingInterfacial microstructureMechanical propertiesShear strength
spellingShingle Wenbo Wang
Wensheng Liu
Lun Yang
Yunzhu Ma
Solid-liquid composite diffusion in Al/Mg bimetallic joints with the Ni/Cu interlayer
Journal of Materials Research and Technology
Al/Mg bimetallic materials
Ni/Cu interlayer
Diffusion bonding
Interfacial microstructure
Mechanical properties
Shear strength
title Solid-liquid composite diffusion in Al/Mg bimetallic joints with the Ni/Cu interlayer
title_full Solid-liquid composite diffusion in Al/Mg bimetallic joints with the Ni/Cu interlayer
title_fullStr Solid-liquid composite diffusion in Al/Mg bimetallic joints with the Ni/Cu interlayer
title_full_unstemmed Solid-liquid composite diffusion in Al/Mg bimetallic joints with the Ni/Cu interlayer
title_short Solid-liquid composite diffusion in Al/Mg bimetallic joints with the Ni/Cu interlayer
title_sort solid liquid composite diffusion in al mg bimetallic joints with the ni cu interlayer
topic Al/Mg bimetallic materials
Ni/Cu interlayer
Diffusion bonding
Interfacial microstructure
Mechanical properties
Shear strength
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425016588
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