Effects of reinforcements in Al 5052 and AZ31B explosively weld composites

In this study, aluminium (Al 5052)/magnesium (AZ31B) composites were fabricated with and without wire mesh (SS 304) and different amounts of silicon carbide particles (1% and 2% SiCp of weight of the flyer plate) as reinforcements through explosive welding at varying loading ratios (R = 0.7–0.9). The melted layer, pore, and crack formed near the interface of the Al 5052/AZ31B weld and wire mesh reinforced weld, whereas no such defects were found in the silicon carbide reinforced weld. AlFe₃, FeSi, and Al₁₂Mg₁₇ intermetallics were detected near the interface in wire mesh-reinforced welds. On the contrary, in SiCp-reinforced welds, intermetallic development was suppressed because the addition of reinforcement enhanced the utilization of kinetic energy and inhibited intermetallic development. The maximum microhardness was found close to the interface for attempted conditions. Higher tensile (234 MPa) and shear (135 MPa) strengths were obtained in wire mesh with a 1% SiCp reinforced explosive weld. The corrosion rate of fabricated composites is not significant, so they can be utilized in corrosive environments.