Effect of laser-arc hybrid welding on fracture and corrosion behaviour of AA6061-T6 alloy

Research highlights: → A dendritic cellular structure was formed in the weld fusion zone (WFZ) and caused alloying element segregation. → The precipitation of intermetallic phases and the formation of galvanic corrosion couplings contribute to the improving pitting susceptibility in the WFZ. → The intergranular corrosion nucleates on pit walls and spreads from them. - Abstract: The welding condition of the hybrid laser-gas metal arc (GMA) welding for AA6061-T6 alloy was optimized by tensile test. Formability performance was checked by the bend test. Fractographic analysis indicates a large number of fine ductile type voids in the fracture surface. The microstructure measurements exhibit a dendritic cellular structure in the weld fusion zone (WFZ) and a partially melted zone adjacent to the fusion boundaries. The corrosion behaviour of the weldment and the base alloy were investigated by weight-loss test in nitric acid solution. The WFZ suffers more severe pitting than the rest regions in the weldment. It shows that corrosion cracking is owing to the precipitation of intermetallic phases and the formation of galvanic corrosion couplings in the weldment of AA6061-T6 alloy.