Tailoring macrostructure and texture in bobbin-tool friction stir weld via manipulation of deformation behaviour of plasticised metal during welding enabled by modifying tool profile

Bobbin-tool friction stir welding is a variant of friction stir welding with high process flexibility that has garnered considerable attention from the community. The reliability of the weld is sensitive to the macrostructure and texture of the stir zone, which must be carefully tailored. The macrostructure of the stir zone is governed by the refill behaviour of the plasticised metal associated with the bobbin-tool; refill occurs preferentially near the upper and lower shoulders, creating a triangular gap at the mid-thickness level that is subsequently closed by the confluence of the layered refilling plasticised metal from the upper and lower levels. Volumetric defects easily develop in this triangular confluence region because the symmetrical confluence of the layered refilling metal has the inherent characteristic of limited intermixing. The visual appearance of the triangular region, featuring limited voiding, was improved by tapering the stirring probe. This modification reduced the volume of displaced metal, leaving a smaller gap to be refilled during welding. Concurrently, the symmetrical confluence pattern was altered to an asymmetrical pattern, which enhanced the intermixing of the layered refilling metal from the upper and lower levels and promoted gap closure. For defect-free welds, macroscopic deformation inhomogeneity under tensile loading was observed due to the presence of a strong basal texture in the stir zone. The texture was scattered by disrupting the regular shear deformation pattern in the stir zone, which was achieved by modifying the tool profile. The activation capability of both basal slip and extension twinning among various local regions across the stir zone was substantially reduced through texture tailoring, resulting in more homogeneous tensile deformation. Consequently, elongation was enhanced by 66 %. This study highlights an easy-to-perform and generic strategy that can improve the quality of bobbin-tool friction stir welds.