An Experimental Assessment and Numerical Simulation of the Corrosion Behavior of Aluminum Welded Joints in Diverse Environments

Abstract

The corrosion behavior of stud-welded AA5083-H321/AA6061-T6 joints was examined. The electrochemical demeanor of the resultant joint was scrutinized in 3.5% NaCl, ASTM seawater, and Na₂SO₄ solutions using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy (OM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). COMSOL Multiphysics version 5.6 software was used to predict the galvanic corrosion of AA5083-H321/A6061-T6 in different solutions, using the software finite element (FE) kit. The results indicated that drawn arc stud welding (DASW) enhanced the corrosion resistance of the welding zone, with the highest resistance observed in the Na₂SO₄ solution. This process also influenced the pitting corrosion rate and minimized alterations in pit morphology, with the order of corrosion resistance decreasing from Na₂SO₄ to 3.5% NaCl and ASTM seawater. Among the base metals, the AA6061-T6 side of the weld exhibited superior corrosion resistance compared to the AA5083-H321 side across all tested solutions. The results from the numerical simulation of the corrosion behavior of the welded joint support the experimental assessment.