The Paton Welding Journal, 2026, #6, 41-48 pages
Joining aluminum and magnesium alloys by diffusion welding (Review)
L.V. Petrushynets1
, V.E. Fedorchuk1
, Yu.V. Falchenko1
, O.O. Novomlynets2
1E.O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of the NASU.
11 Kazymyr Malevych Str., 03150, Kyiv, Ukraine.
E-mail: moremia2@ukr.net
2National University “Chernihiv Polytechnic”
95 Shevchenko Str., 14030, Chernihiv, Ukraine
Abstract
Magnesium alloys, due to their low density and high specific strength, are promising materials for mechanical engineering, the
automotive industry, and portable electronics. However, their wider application is limited by low strength and thermal stability,
as well as a high susceptibility to corrosion of this group of materials. The widespread use of magnesium alloys often requires
reliable bonding with other materials, primarily aluminum alloys. However, obtaining such bonds is technologically challenging
due to the significant difference in the physicochemical properties of these two materials, which leads to the formation of
brittle phases and degradation of mechanical properties. This paper considers the potential of utilizing various technological
approaches to joining aluminum and magnesium by diffusion welding. It has been demonstrated that welding magnesium
alloys to aluminum without interlayers leads to significant scatter in joint strength values, which is caused by considerable
differences in the welding parameters (temperature, pressure, and process duration) used by the authors of the publications.
The use of interlayers such as Cu, Zn, Ag, Ni, and Sn + Zn significantly affects the microstructure, phase composition, and
mechanical properties of the joints, which is associated with the varying tendency of these metals to form intermetallic phases
at the interface. The highest shear strength of 76.8 MPa was obtained when using an Sn + Zn interlayer. However, this technological
process is highly sensitive to fluctuations in the welding temperature, which is due to changes in the amount of liquid
phase formed between magnesium and aluminum and, consequently, in the phase composition of the joint interface. Thus, the
diffusion welding of magnesium alloys to aluminum remains a challenging problem that requires further investigation.
Keywords: diffusion welding, magnesium alloy, aluminum alloy, interlayer, microstructure, strength
Received: 14.10.2025
Received in revised form: 12.12.2025
Accepted: 23.06.2026
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Suggested Citation
L.V. Petrushynets,
V.E. Fedorchuk,
Yu.V. Falchenko,
O.O. Novomlynets (2026) Joining aluminum and magnesium alloys by diffusion welding (Review).
The Paton Welding J., 06, 41-48.
https://doi.org/10.37434/tpwj2026.06.05