Investigation of Microstructural and Mechanical Characteristics of Friction Stir Welded Aluminum Alloy 7075-t6

This study aimed to enhance the mechanical and microstructural properties of AA 7075-T6 aluminum alloy by incorporating zeolite powder using friction stir processing (FSP). The methodology involved preparing AA 7075-T6 plates with predrilled holes for zeolite powder insertion, followed by FSP with optimized parameters (650 rpm rotational speed and 12 mm/min traverse speed). Microstructural analysis was conducted using scanning electron microscopy, and mechanical properties were evaluated through tensile and hardness tests. The results demonstrated significant improvements in tensile strength, hardness, and elongation due to the fine grain structure and uniform distribution of zeolite particles in the weld Nugget zone. The optimized FSP parameters enhanced mechanical performance, making the zeolite-reinforced AA 7075-T6 alloy suitable for high-stress applications in aerospace and automotive industries. This study confirms the potential of zeolite reinforcement in improving the durability and reliability of aluminum alloys.