Weldability and machinability of the dissimilar joints of Ti alloy and stainless steel – A review

Abstract As two important industrial manufacturing materials, titanium alloys and stainless steel have their own advantages and disadvantages in terms of physical, chemical, and mechanical properties. The field of materials manufacturing has witnessed efforts to develop technical processes that can properly combine these two alloy types, aiming to effectively use their respective advantages. The welding technology for Ti alloy and stainless steel, as a research topic with broad prospects, is comprehensively and deeply analyzed in this review. The current research progress in this field was analyzed from different process perspectives such as fusion welding, brazing, diffusion welding, friction welding, explosive welding and vacuum hot-rolling welding. The results of the review showed that the greatest challenges of fusion welding are low ductility of the material, high residual stress, high cooling rate, and the formation of numerous brittle Ti-Fe intermetallics. By using appropriate intermediate materials between these two materials, the residual stress and brittle intermetallics near the interface of the transition joint can be minimised by solving the thermal expansion mismatch, reducing the bonding temperature and pressure, and suppressing the diffusion of elements such as Ti and Fe.