Controlling solidification cracks in laser beam welding of AA6005 using Al2O3 and TiC nanoparticles dispersed in a Cu coating

Laser beam welding is a critical joining method for wrought 6xxx series aluminium (Al) alloys; however, its broader adoption is hindered by the susceptibility to solidification cracking, which undermines weld integrity and restricts the production of high-quality joints. To mitigate cracking suscept...

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Main Authors: M.H. Khan, S. Jabar, T.I. Khan, H.R. Kotadia, P. Franciosa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-12-01
Series:Journal of Advanced Joining Processes
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666330925000652
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author M.H. Khan
S. Jabar
T.I. Khan
H.R. Kotadia
P. Franciosa
author_facet M.H. Khan
S. Jabar
T.I. Khan
H.R. Kotadia
P. Franciosa
author_sort M.H. Khan
collection DOAJ
description Laser beam welding is a critical joining method for wrought 6xxx series aluminium (Al) alloys; however, its broader adoption is hindered by the susceptibility to solidification cracking, which undermines weld integrity and restricts the production of high-quality joints. To mitigate cracking susceptibility, this study explores a novel approach involving the use of alumina (Al2O3) and titanium carbide (TiC) nanoparticles introduced into the fusion zone of laser welded AA6005 aluminium sheets via electrophoretic deposition (CuSO4 bath, ∼40 nm nanoparticles, varying concentrations/times). Microstructural analysis revealed that the incorporation of both Al2O3 and TiC nanoparticles on AA6005 led to an overall 65% grain refinement, effectively preventing centreline cracking during welding. Lap shear testing demonstrated a significant improvement in joint strength, with a 10% increase for Al2O3 coated samples and a 13% increase for TiC coated welds compared to the uncoated material. Notably, TiC outperformed Al2O3 at higher concentrations, exhibiting more uniform dispersion with reduced agglomeration and porosity. In contrast, Al2O3 showed a tendency toward particle clustering and pore formation at elevated concentrations, which limited its strengthening efficiency. This highlights the potential of nanoparticle reinforcement for enhancing the reliability and performance of laser welded 6xxx aluminium alloys.
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series Journal of Advanced Joining Processes
spelling doaj-art-edadfcf8e2124578a706c9fcb112f91b2025-08-23T04:49:13ZengElsevierJournal of Advanced Joining Processes2666-33092025-12-011210034410.1016/j.jajp.2025.100344Controlling solidification cracks in laser beam welding of AA6005 using Al2O3 and TiC nanoparticles dispersed in a Cu coatingM.H. Khan0S. Jabar1T.I. Khan2H.R. Kotadia3P. Franciosa4WMG, The University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK; Corresponding author.WMG, The University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UKSchool of Engineering, The University of Bradford, Bradford, BD7 1DP, UKSchool of Engineering, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UKWMG, The University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UKLaser beam welding is a critical joining method for wrought 6xxx series aluminium (Al) alloys; however, its broader adoption is hindered by the susceptibility to solidification cracking, which undermines weld integrity and restricts the production of high-quality joints. To mitigate cracking susceptibility, this study explores a novel approach involving the use of alumina (Al2O3) and titanium carbide (TiC) nanoparticles introduced into the fusion zone of laser welded AA6005 aluminium sheets via electrophoretic deposition (CuSO4 bath, ∼40 nm nanoparticles, varying concentrations/times). Microstructural analysis revealed that the incorporation of both Al2O3 and TiC nanoparticles on AA6005 led to an overall 65% grain refinement, effectively preventing centreline cracking during welding. Lap shear testing demonstrated a significant improvement in joint strength, with a 10% increase for Al2O3 coated samples and a 13% increase for TiC coated welds compared to the uncoated material. Notably, TiC outperformed Al2O3 at higher concentrations, exhibiting more uniform dispersion with reduced agglomeration and porosity. In contrast, Al2O3 showed a tendency toward particle clustering and pore formation at elevated concentrations, which limited its strengthening efficiency. This highlights the potential of nanoparticle reinforcement for enhancing the reliability and performance of laser welded 6xxx aluminium alloys.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666330925000652Laser beam welding6005 aluminium alloySolidification crackingNanoparticlesSolidification
spellingShingle M.H. Khan
S. Jabar
T.I. Khan
H.R. Kotadia
P. Franciosa
Controlling solidification cracks in laser beam welding of AA6005 using Al2O3 and TiC nanoparticles dispersed in a Cu coating
Journal of Advanced Joining Processes
Laser beam welding
6005 aluminium alloy
Solidification cracking
Nanoparticles
Solidification
title Controlling solidification cracks in laser beam welding of AA6005 using Al2O3 and TiC nanoparticles dispersed in a Cu coating
title_full Controlling solidification cracks in laser beam welding of AA6005 using Al2O3 and TiC nanoparticles dispersed in a Cu coating
title_fullStr Controlling solidification cracks in laser beam welding of AA6005 using Al2O3 and TiC nanoparticles dispersed in a Cu coating
title_full_unstemmed Controlling solidification cracks in laser beam welding of AA6005 using Al2O3 and TiC nanoparticles dispersed in a Cu coating
title_short Controlling solidification cracks in laser beam welding of AA6005 using Al2O3 and TiC nanoparticles dispersed in a Cu coating
title_sort controlling solidification cracks in laser beam welding of aa6005 using al2o3 and tic nanoparticles dispersed in a cu coating
topic Laser beam welding
6005 aluminium alloy
Solidification cracking
Nanoparticles
Solidification
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666330925000652
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