• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.67-73
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• 2002

In an attempt to evaluate the feasibility of friction stir welding(FSW) for joining carbon steels, microstructures and mechanical properties of friction stir welded carbon steels with different grain structures were investigated. In comparison of O-type stir zone(SZ) appeared in various aluminium alloys, configuration of SZ in friction stir welded carbon steels displayed U-type. Plastically deformed pearlite band structure was identified to surround the SZ, indicating the existence of so-called thermo-mechanically affected zone(TMAZ). However, the TMAZ of carbon steels was much narrower than that of Al alloys. The microstructures of both stir zone and TMAZ revealed bainite matrix in a conventional carbon steel for shipbuilding, while, in the same region, ferrite matrix microstructures were formed in a low carbon fine grained steel. The conventional carbon steel showed superior stirring workability to that of the fine grained carbon steel. The yield and tensile strength of the friction stir welded joints were comparable to those of the base metals, and the elongation in welded joints demonstrated excellent ductility. Absorbed energy in SZ of the fine grained carbon steel was ten times higher than that obtained from conventional submerged arc weld metal of the same steel. Based on these results, the application FSW to carbon steels was found to be feasible.