Role of oxides in the formation of hole defects in friction stir welded joint of 2519-T87 aluminum alloy

The role of oxides in the formation of hole defects in friction stir welded joint of 2519-T87 aluminum alloy has been investigated by using optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, electron backscatter diffraction and electron probe microanalyzer to examine the distribution of oxides and the features of hole defects, and using ABAQUS 3D thermo-mechanical coupling finite element model based on arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian method to simulate the material flow behavior. Oxides exist at the edge of tunnel hole and in the micropores in the joint. Based on distribution of oxygen and material flow behavior, it is believed that the oxides on the surface of the alloy tend to flow down into the bulk along the flow direction of plastic material during friction stir welding, aggregate in the weak region of material flow at the intersection of the shoulder affected zone and the stir pin-tip affected zone, and consequently prevent the material from contacting and diffusing. Due to the insufficient material flow and therefore the small plastic deformation, the pressure is not high enough to compress the accumulated oxides, resulting in hole defects.