Influence of Zn Coating on Interfacial Reactions and Mechanical Properties During Laser Welding-Brazing of Mg to Steel

To investigate the influence of Zn coating on the joining of magnesium alloy AZ31 to Zn-coated steel, dissimilar metal joining both with and without Zn coating was performed by the laser welding-brazing (LWB) process. Welding characteristics including joint appearance, identification of interfacial reaction layers, and mechanical properties were comparatively studied. The results indicated that the presence of Zn coating promoted the wetting of liquid filler wire on the steel substrate. Heterogeneous interfacial reaction layers formed along the interface between the Mg alloy and Zn-coated steel, whereas no distinct reaction layer and increased concentration of Al were identified at the interface between the Mg alloy and noncoated steel. The maximum tensile-shear strength of Mg/steel lap joint with Zn coating reached 180 N/mm, which was slightly higher than that achieved without Zn coating (160 N/mm). Failure of joint in both cases occurred at the interface; however, the fracture mode was found to differ. For Zn-coated steel, the crack propagated along the Mg-Zn reaction layer and Fe-Al phase, with little Mg-Zn reaction phases remaining on the steel side. As for noncoated steel, some remnants of the seam adhered to the steel substrate.