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Procedia Engineering 10 (2011) 9961001

ICM11

Effect of Post Heat Treatment on Bonding Interfaces

in Ti/Mild steel/Ti Clad Materials
D.S. Baea*, Y.R. Chaea, S.P. Leeb, J.K. Leeb,
S.S. Parkc, Y.S. Leed and S.M. Leee, a*
a

Dept. of Advanced Materials Eng., Dong-Eui University, Busan 614-714, South Korea
b
Dept. of Mechanical Eng., Dong-Eui University, Busan 614-714, South Korea
c
Research Institute, Korea Clad Tech Co., Ltd., Taegu 711-892, South Korea
d
Materials Processing Div., Korea Institute of Materials Science, Changwon 641-831, South Korea
e
Advanced Forming Tech. Center, Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, Incheon 406-840, South Korea

Abstract

Ti and Titanium/mild steel/titanium (Ti/MS/Ti) clad materials have been received much attention because
of its high specific strength and corrosion-resisting properties compare to those of brass and stainless
steels. But, it is difficult to make these materials because brittle intermetallic compound and titanium
oxide form during heat treatment. The aim of this study is to get optimized cladding conditions. 1st grade
Ti sheets and SPCC mild steel sheets were prepared and then Ti/MS/Ti clad materials were fabricated by
cold rolling and post heat treatment process. Microstructure of Ti/MS interfaces was observed by using
the SEM and EDX Analyser in order to investigate the effect of post heat treatment on bonding properties
of Ti/MS/Ti clad materials. Diffusion bonding was observed at the interfaces of Ti/MS. The Knoop
hardness of mild steel decreased with post heat treatment temperature, however, those of Ti decreased at
the range of 500~600 and showed uniform value till 800 and then increased rapidly up to 900. The
Knoop hardness value of diffusion layer showed higher one than those of Ti and mild steel matrices with
post heat treated at 600. Bonding forces of Ti/Mild steel interfaces were measured by the peel test and
those decreased up to 800 and then increased slightly with post heat treatment.
2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of ICM11
Keywords: Ti/Mild steel/Ti clad material; post heat treatment; bonding interface property; intermetallic compound; diffusion layer.

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +82-51-890-2288 ; fax: +82-51-890-2288

E-mail address: dsbae@deu.ac.kr.

1877-7058 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and peer-review under responsibility of ICM11
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2011.04.164

D.S. Bae et al. / Procedia Engineering 10 (2011) 9961001

1. Introduction
Clad materials as metallic composite materials are developed for the needs of industrial consumer
because the single metal often cant satisfy their application conditions.
Several method such as extrusion, rolling, electro-plating, overlay welding and explosive welding are
used for the clad materials production. Among these methods, the rolling is one of the useful processes
because of its low-cost and good productivity [1-10].
Recently, according to the aspects of maintenance and repair of marine structures and the development
of materials related with shipbuilding industry, the needs of corrosion-resisting Ti clad material increased.
Titanium/Mild steel/Ti (Ti/MS/Ti) clad materials also have received much attention due to their high
specific strength and corrosion-resisting properties compare to brass and stainless steel clad materials [4, 9,
10].
But, it is difficult to fabricate the Ti/MS/Ti clad materials because brittle intermetallic compound may
forms at the Ti/Mild steel interface and brittle titanium oxide easily forms at the Ti surface during heat
treatment before rolling. These brittle intermetallic compound and Ti oxide affect the weakening the
interface bonding strength of Ti clad materials [9, 10]. So it is important to improve the bonding strength
of Ti clad material by control the interface properties with post heat treatment temperature.
The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of post heat treatment on the bonding interface
properties to derive optimized cladding conditions of Ti clad materials.
2. Experimental procedure
Ti/MS/Ti clad material was made of titanium (grade 1), mild steel (SPCC grade) and titanium (grade 1)
by rolling and heat treatment process. All materials were cleaned and brushed the contacting surfaces
before cladding to remove oil and to give a proper surface roughness. Post heat treatment process was
performed from 500 to 900 for 10min. using fabricated Ti clad materials by cold rolling.
Microstructure and line scanning of the Ti/Mild steel interfaces were observed using a Scanning
Electron Microscope (SEM) and an Energy Dispersed X-ray Analyzer (EDX) in order to investigate the
bonding interface properties of Ti clad materials. Thickness of diffusion layer was measured by image
analysis.
Each of micro Knoop hardness at the diffusion layer, Ti and mild steel matrices was measured under
the condition of 10g and 10sec. The bonding strength of Ti/MS/Ti clad materials was measured by peel
test in uni-axial tensile test equipment.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Diffusion bonding and shape of bonding interfaces
The distribution of Ti composition near Ti/Mild steel interface decreased gradually to the side of mild
steel material and also that of Fe composition showed same tendency with Ti in rolled and post heat
treated material, as shown in Fig. 1. That is, diffusion bonding was observed at the interface of Ti/Mild
steel in rolled and post heat treated clad material.
Fig. 2 shows the changes of diffusion layer's thickness and its shape in the Ti/Mild steel interface after
post heat treated at (a) 500, (b) 700 and (c) 900. Thickness of diffusion layer was increased by
increased diffusion distance of each element with post heat treatment temperature. Shapes of bonding
interfaces were smooth type at 500 and 700, but it showed quite rough type at 900 as shown

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D.S. Bae et al. / Procedia Engineering 10 (2011) 9961001

Fig. 1. Line scanning analysis results of Ti/Mild steel/Ti clad materials at (a) 600 and (b) 700 for post heat
treatment.

in Fig. 2.
These types of bonding interfaces showed different shapes with serrated type in roll cladding interface
[10] or waved type in explosive bonding interface [6]. Rough interface was formed at the part of mild steel
while the part of Ti maintained smooth interface. That is, the diffusion behavior was accelerated from Ti to
mild steel part with post heat treatment temperature.

Fig. 2. Thickness and shape changes of diffusion layer in Ti/Mild steel at (a) 500, (b) 700 and (c) 900 for post
heat treatment.

3.2. Diffusion layer in bonding interface

Fig. 3 shows the image analysis result of diffusion layers thickness at Ti/Mild steel interface with post
heat treatment temperature. Thickness of diffusion layer increased and showed linear relationship with
post heat treatment ranges from 500 to 900. Thickness of diffusion layer was about 0.88 at 500 and
about 1.74 at 900, so its thickness increased about 2 times at these temperature ranges.
Fig. 4 shows the EDX analysis results of diffusion layer formed at Ti/Mild steel bonding interface.
Diffusion layer was composed of 67.10 wt%Fe and 32.18 wt%Ti. This compositional compound was
verified as or (+) intermetallic compound from the Fe-Ti binary phase diagram [11].
3.3. Hardness and bonding properties of Ti clad material

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Fig. 3. Thickness changes of diffusion layer in the Ti/Mild steel interfaces with post heat treatment temperature.

Fig. 4. Result of EDX analysis in the Ti/Mild steel interface at 700 for post heat treatment.

Fig. 5 shows the micro Knoop hardness measurement results of Ti/Mild steel/Ti clad materials with
post heat treatment temperature and hardness comparison results of bonding interface with Ti and mild
steel matrices at 600 for post heat treatment. In Fig. 5(a), Knoop hardness of mild steel matrix decreased
with post heat treatment temperature, but those of Ti matrix decreased up to 600 and unchanged between
600 to 800 and then increased rapidly beyond 800 due to the transformation of Ti matrix to brittle
BCC -Ti.
Fig. 5(b) shows an example of Knoop hardness comparison result at 600 for post heat treatment. This
hardness value of intermetallic compound showed higher one than those of Ti and mild steel matrices.
Micro-cracks could be formed easily at intermetallic compound in diffusion layer rather than Ti and mild
steel matrices when it was deformed by applied stress [1]. These micro-cracks may play as role of stress
concentration factor that can be propagated and then fractured at bonding interface of Ti clad material.
The thickness and property of intermetallic compound in diffusion layer of each interface would affect
the bonding strength and formability of clad material [10].

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Fig. 5. Hardness changes of Ti and mild steel matrices with post heat treatment temperature (a); hardness comparison
results of bonding interface with Ti and mild steel matrices at 600 for post heat treatment (b).

Fig. 6 shows changes of bonding force at the interface of Ti and mild steel with post heat treatment
temperature. Bonding force decreased up to 800 and then increased slightly beyond 800 of post heat
treatment. It was impossible to peel off the Ti plate from the specimen of Ti clad materials at post heat
treatment temperature ranges 500~600, because the bonding forces were so strong that it couldnt
measure the bonding force with peel off method. On the other hand, it was also impossible to peel test
because the Ti plate was so brittle that it couldnt obtain the sound peel test sample at the post heat
treatment of 900.
From above results obtained, it would be considered that the proper temperature ranges for post heat
treatment of Ti/MS/Ti clad material maybe 600~700.

Fig. 6. Changes of bonding force at the interface of Ti and mild steel with post heat treatment temperature (a) and
an example of peel test with specimen which post heat treated at 850for 10min. (b).

D.S. Bae et al. / Procedia Engineering 10 (2011) 9961001

4. Conclusions
The effect of post heat treatment on the bonding interface properties in Ti/Mild steel/Ti clad materials
was investigated and obtained results are as follows.
1.
2.

3.
4.

Diffusion bonding was observed at the interfaces of Ti/Mild steel with post heat treatment.
The Knoop hardness of mild steel decreased with post heat treatment temperature, however, those
of Ti decreased at the range of 500~600 and shown uniform value till 800 and then increased
rapidly up to 900.
The Knoop hardness value of diffusion layer showed higher one than those of Ti and mild steel
matrices with post heat treated at 600.
Bonding forces of Ti/Mild steel interfaces decreased up to 800 and then increased slightly with
post heat treatment temperature.

Acknowledgement
This research was supported by the project of Fundamental Materials Development funded by the
Ministry of Knowledge Economy.
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