Corrosion-fatigue behavior of welded aluminum alloy 2024-T3

Corrosion-fatigue behavior of friction stir welded AA2024-T3 is investigated in a 3.5% NaCl solution. Corrosion-damage analysis of the tested specimens shows that the heat-affected zone of the shoulder-affected region is more sensitive to corrosion attack than stir zone due to coarsened microstructure. A mechanism has been proposed for the evolution of microstructure in the shoulder-affected zone. A significant decrease in the welded component’s fatigue life is obtained in 3.5% NaCl solution as compared to laboratory air. The reduction in the fatigue life in a corrosive environment is devoted to the pit formation due to the dissolution of Al-matrix near intermetallic particles.