Microstructural Characterization of Bonding Interfaces in Aluminum 3003 Blocks Fabricated by Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing

Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) is a process by which hybrid and near-net-shaped products can be manufactured from thin metallic tapes. One of the main concerns of UAM is the development of anisotropic mechanical properties. in this work, the microstructures in the bond regions are characterized with optical and electron microscopy. Recrystallization and grain growth across the interface are proposed as a mechanism for the bond formation. The presence of voids or unbonded areas, which reduce the load-bearing cross section and create a stress intensity factor, is attributed to the transfer of the sonotrode texture to the new foil layer. This results in large peaks and valleys that are not filled in during processing. Tensile testing revealed the weld interface strength was 15% of the bulk foil. Shear tests of the weld interfaces showed almost 50% of the bulk shear strength of the material. Finally, optical microscopy of the fracture surfaces from the tensile tests revealed 34% of the interface area was unbonded.