Experimental and numerical research on formation mechanism of intermetallic compounds in laser brazing welding for Ti/Al dissimilar alloy

Laser brazing is an esteemed technique for Ti/Al dissimilar alloy welding, yet the emergence of brittle intermetallic compounds (IMCs) restricts its broader application. In-depth knowledge of IMCs formation provides critical insights for process optimization targeting IMCs structural improvement, pivotal to high-performance of Ti/Al joint. Herein, we establish macroscopic heat transfer-fluid flow coupled model for laser brazing welding of Ti/Al dissimilar alloys firstly, followed by a comprehensive characterization of the types, distribution, and crystallographic features of IMCs, thereby elucidating the impact mechanism of laser offset on IMCs growth. Incremented laser offset prompts a conversion from transverse to tangential flow at the Ti/Al interface, attenuates peak temperatures and liquid phase duration, and significantly revises solidification parameters, thereby reducing the IMCs layer to 5 μm, augmenting solid-state transformation characteristic, and diversifying crystallographic orientations of IMCs. Ultimately, enhanced tensile strength in the Ti/Al joint is attributed to the presence of thinner IMCs with finer grains, produced by larger laser offset. This article constitutes a pivotal progression in modeling heat transfer-flow behaviors for Ti/Al laser brazing welding, revealing IMCs genesis with unparalleled granularity guided by crystal selective growth principles. It also lays a theoretical foundation for IMCs micro-structure improvement strategy via temperature-flow regulation.