Recent developments and challenges in welding of magnesium to titanium alloys

Joining of Mg/Ti hybrid structures by welding for automotive and aerospace applications has attracted great attention in recent years due mainly to its potential benefit of energy saving and emission reduction. However, joining them has been hampered with many difficulties due to their physical and metallurgical incompatibilities. Different joining processes have been employed to join Mg/Ti, and in most cases in order to get a metallurgical bonding between them was the use of an intermediate element at the interface or mutual diffusion of alloying elements from the base materials. The formation of a reaction product (in the form of solid solution or intermetallic compound) along the interface between the Mg and Ti is responsible for formation of a metallurgical bond. However, the interfacial bonding achieved and the joints performance depend significantly on the newly formed reaction product(s). Thus, a thorough understanding of the interaction between the selected intermediate elements with the base metals along with the influence of the associated welding parameters are essential. This review is timely as it presents on the current paradigm and progress in welding and joining of Mg/Ti alloys. The factors governing the welding of several important techniques are deliberated along with their joining mechanisms. Some opportunities to improve the welding of Mg/Ti for different welding techniques are also identified.