Corrosion Evolution in Al/Steel Dissimilar Joints

Abstract

Al/steel joints are increasingly used in the automotive industry to meet the requirement of energy saving and emission reduction. Among various joining technologies, self-pierce riveting (SPR) and resistance spot welding (RSW) are two promising technologies to fabricate dissimilar joints with stable and high mechanical performance. However, corrosion will occur in these joints inevitably due to different electrochemical properties, which can degrade the surface quality and the mechanical performance, including strength, ductility, etc. In this paper, 1.2 mm AA6022 and 2.0mm HDG HSLA340 are joined by SPR and RSW. After the fabrication of these Al/steel joints, cyclic corrosion tests are performed, which lasts 26 cycles and 48 cycles. By comparing the microstructure of the joints with and without corrosion, different corrosion mechanisms in SPR and RSW are revealed, including the corrosion initiation and propagation.