Microstructure and Properties of Explosive Welds.

This paper deals with the metallographic aspects of explosive welding and contributes, through a detailed analysis of the microstructure of purposely produced welds, to the clarification of the bond-forming phenomena, the bonding mechanism, and the reasons for the special properties of explosive welds. The small dimensions of the affected microstructure zones mandate the use of transmission electron microscopy in conjunction with optical and scanning electron microscopy and X-ray refraction. It is thus possible to reconstruct on welds of an Al-Cu model alloy with finely distributed deformable precipitations the bond-forming deformation phenomena occurring during collision, which are practically inaccessible to direct measurements. These results are supported and supplemented by studies on bondings of a total of 15 industrial materials with a wide spectrum of physical, chemical and mechanical properties.