Mechanical and Corrosion Behavior of Friction Stir Processed 6061 Aluminum Alloy Reinforced by Alumina Powder

This paper presents an investigation into the process parameters and conditions of friction stir processing for aluminum alloy 6061. The effect of process parameters including speed, feed, tool penetration depth, and reinforcement particles on the strength, hardness, and corrosion behavior of the samples are investigated. Tensile test, fracture mapping, and surface hardness measurement, as important mechanical properties, are performed using broken samples. The obtained results show that adding alumina particles in micrometer size with friction stir processing improves the final tensile strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance. The results show that the corrosion behavior of the processed samples is improved by reducing the corrosion rate, corrosion current, and corrosion potential compared to the base metal. The microstructure of the processed samples after the corrosion test shows that samples with micrometer-sized alumina reinforcement particles have fewer holes than others and lead to a more polished and smoother surface.