Preparation Method and Properties of Q235/5083 Composite Plate with 1060 Interlayer by Differential Temperature Rolling with Induction Heating
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This manuscript presents a method of adding a pure-aluminum interlayer by differential temperature rolling with induction heating to manufacture steel/aluminum alloy composite plates. The title of the article is beautiful for readers and practical. The article is well organized, but the following points should be considered.
As the most critical issue, what is the innovation of the article? Is the use of the interlayer layer an innovation of the article? This work has already been done using ductile metals.
The introduction is very general. Although the introduction is long, it is written superficially in some paragraphs. Also, in the end, a suitable summary of the importance of the present issue should be provided.
The article needs general writing and grammar editing.
Use the following resources to deepen the introduction. Promoting bonding strength between internal Al-Si based gradient coating and aluminum alloy cylinder bore by forming homo-epitaxial growth interface. Effects of solder thickness on interface behavior and nanoindentation characteristics in Cu/Sn/Cu microbumps. Effect of heat input on interfacial characterization of the butter joint of hot-rolling CP-Ti/Q235 bimetallic sheets by Laser + CMT.
Tables 1 to 3 cna be summarized in one table. Why are the thicknesses considered the same?
The most important problem in roll bonding is the preparation of samples, which includes chemical and mechanical preparation. According to the preparation conditions, the strength of the layers can be different. You can use this article to address this issue. Evaluation of microstructure and mechanical properties of multilayer Al5052–Cu composite produced by accmulative roll bonding.
How has the reproducibility of these results been checked? The displacement measurement method, accuracy, and the number of repetitions of the shear tests should also be mentioned.
Why has the bonding strength decreased with increasing heating time? Is this consistent with previous sources? What is the reason for this drop? Can these changes be caused by accelerating the oxidation of scratched surfaces?
The image number of the last figure should be corrected.
No comment.
Author Response
Dear Editor and Reviewer:
On behalf of the authors, I would like to thank you for your useful comments concerning our manuscript. These comments are of great help in improving the level of our current and future research work. We have modified the manuscript accordingly and have provided the detailed corrections.
The revisions taken from the reviewer’s comments are as follows:
Comment 1: This manuscript presents a method of adding a pure-aluminum interlayer by differential temperature rolling with induction heating to manufacture steel/aluminum alloy composite plates. The title of the article is beautiful for readers and practical. The article is well organized, but the following points should be considered. As the most critical issue, what is the innovation of the article? Is the use of the interlayer layer an innovation of the article? This work has already been done using ductile metals.
Revision 1: Without the addition of a pure aluminum interlayer, carbon steel and aluminum alloys can be bonded generally under a large reduction rate(> 45%) by rolling method. Such a high reduction rate is available to bond thinner plates, however, for thicker plates, a high reduction rate needs high rolling force, which imposes strict requirements on the ability of the rolling mill. In this paper, a high-temperature carbon steel, molten pure aluminum, and low-temperature aluminum alloy billet was formed by induction heating, the steel/aluminum composite plate with higher bonding strength (> 68MPa) was obtained at a lower reduction rate (31%).
Comment 2: The introduction is very general. Although the introduction is long, it is written superficially in some paragraphs. Also, in the end, a suitable summary of the importance of the present issue should be provided.
Revision 2:
The introduction has been rewritten，and the importance of the present issue was provided in the end:
It can be concluded that carbon steel and aluminum alloys can be bonded generally under a large reduction rate(> 45%) by rolling method. Such a high reduction rate is available to bond thinner plates, however, for thicker plates, a high reduction rate needs high rolling force, which imposes strict requirements on the ability of the rolling mill. Decreasing the reduction rate is of great significance for production in reality. Such a high reduction rate is available to bond thinner plates, however, for thicker plates, a high reduction rate needs high rolling force, which imposes strict requirements on the ability of the rolling mill. This is also the reason why the thickness of steel/aluminum composite plates prepared by the rolling method is generally below 5 mm.
In this paper, by induction heating, a high-temperature carbon steel, molten pure aluminum, and low-temperature aluminum alloy billet was formed by induction heating, the steel/aluminum composite plate with higher bonding strength (> 68MPa) was obtained at a lower reduction rate (31%). The effects of induction heating time on temperature difference of billet, bonding strength and microstructure of interfaces were studied. This study will provide a reference for producing thick steel/aluminum composite plates.
Comment 3: The article needs general writing and grammar editing.
Revision 3: The article has been polished. The main revisions were made in red font in the article. The Figure below is the editing certificate.
Fig. Editing certificate
Comment 4: Use the following resources to deepen the introduction. Promoting bonding strength between internal Al-Si based gradient coating and aluminum alloy cylinder bore by forming homo-epitaxial growth interface. Effects of solder thickness on interface behavior and nanoindentation characteristics in Cu/Sn/Cu microbumps. Effect of heat input on interfacial characterization of the butter joint of hot-rolling CP-Ti/Q235 bimetallic sheets by Laser + CMT.
Revision 4: Thank you very much for providing these valuable resources. The introduction has been rewritten, unnecessary descriptions have been simplified, and the innovation and purpose of this article have been highlighted.
Comment 5: Tables 1 to 3 can be summarized in one table. Why are the thicknesses considered the same?
Revision 5: Tables 1 to 3 have be summarized in one table. When the steel/aluminum composite plates are used as transition joints, the thicknesses are approximately the same, so in this article, the thicknesses are considered the same.
Comment 6: The most important problem in roll bonding is the preparation of samples, which includes chemical and mechanical preparation. According to the preparation conditions, the strength of the layers can be different. You can use this article to address this issue. Evaluation of microstructure and mechanical properties of multilayer Al5052–Cu composite produced by accmulative roll bonding.
Revision 6: The different preparation methods of billets do have a significant impact on the bonding strength. We have tried acid alkali washing, sandpaper polishing, and wire brush polishing on the surface of the billets, and found that a highest bonding strength between steel and aluminum can be obtained by wire brush polishing. Therefore, in this article, wire brush polishing was used, and acetone was used to remove oil stains. The surface was then cleaned with alcohol, and finally dried. This method is similar to the method in the article provided.
Comment 7: How has the reproducibility of these results been checked? The displacement measurement method, accuracy, and the number of repetitions of the shear tests should also be mentioned.
Revision 7: A corresponding description has been added in the text: 2 composite plates were prepared under each condition and 3 shear specimens were prepared for each composite plate. The final results are the average of all results of each condition. A tensile testing machine (Inspekt Table 100 kN, force measurement accuracy ±1%, displacement resolution < 1 μm) was used for shear tests.
Comment 8: Why has the bonding strength decreased with increasing heating time? Is this consistent with previous sources? What is the reason for this drop? Can these changes be caused by accelerating the oxidation of scratched surfaces?
Revision 8: When the heating time increases, the temperature of aluminium rises, and the diffusions of elements at bonding interface become intense, the compounds are formed at the interface when the diffusions of elements reach to a certain degree, the bonding strength will be weakened by compounds at interface. The results of this study are consistent with the fact that increasing the annealing temperature will weaken the steel/aluminium interface bonding strength[1,2].The use of argon as a protective gas during the heating process can prevent the generation of oxides, and the oxygen element line scan maps at different temperatures are basically similar, so the effect of oxides on the bonding strength can be excluded.
References
1.Manesh, H. D.; Taheri, A. K. Bond Strength and Formability of an Aluminum-Clad Steel Sheet. Journal of Alloys and Com-pounds 2003, 361, 138-143.
2.Movahedi, M.; Kokabi, A. H.; Reihani, S. M. S. Investigation on the Bond Strength of Al-1100/St-12 Roll Bonded Sheets, Optimization and Characterization. Materials and Design 2011, 32, 3143-3149.
Comment 9: The image number of the last figure should be corrected.
Revision 9: The image number of the last figure has been changed.
The above all mandatory revisions were made in red font in the file "Marked-up Manuscript".
Other revisions are made in the "Marked-up Manuscript" document in red font.
The manuscript has been resubmitted. We look forward to your positive response.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Hong Xiao
E-mail: [email protected]
Reviewer 2 Report
The overall topic is interesting, but it is not clear which is tha main improvement when compared with standard techniques.
It is suggested to modify the english language and re-submit the paper, underlining the motivations and goals of the research, with more details on the improvements achieved.
Please define what a "reduction rate" is.
It is strongly recommended a deep review of english language, maybe working with a native speaker. Many sentences are wrong and hard to understand.
Author Response
Dear Editor and Reviewer:
On behalf of the authors, I would like to thank you for your useful comments concerning our manuscript. These comments are of great help in improving the level of our current and future research work. We have modified the manuscript accordingly and have provided the detailed corrections.
The revisions taken from the reviewer’s comments are as follows:
Comment 1: The overall topic is interesting, but it is not clear which is the main improvement when compared with standard techniques.
Revision 1: The introduction has been rewritten to clear the main improvement:
It can be concluded that carbon steel and aluminum alloys can be bonded generally under a large reduction rate (> 45%) by rolling method. Such a high reduction rate is available to bond thinner plates, however, for thicker plates, a high reduction rate needs high rolling force, which imposes strict requirements on the ability of the rolling mill. Decreasing the reduction rate is of great significance for production in reality. Such a high reduction rate is available to bond thinner plates, however, for thicker plates, a high reduction rate needs high rolling force, which imposes strict requirements on the ability of the rolling mill. This is also the reason why the thickness of steel/aluminum composite plates prepared by the rolling method is generally below 5 mm.
In this paper, by induction heating, a high-temperature carbon steel, molten pure aluminum, and low-temperature aluminum alloy billet was formed by induction heating, the steel/aluminum composite plate with higher bonding strength (> 68MPa) was obtained at a lower reduction rate (31%). The effects of induction heating time on temperature difference of billet, bonding strength and microstructure of interfaces were studied. This study will provide a reference for producing thick steel/aluminum composite plates.
Comment 2: It is suggested to modify the English language and re-submit the paper, underlining the motivations and goals of the research, with more details on the improvements achieved.
Revision 2: The article has been polished. The main revisions were made in red font in the article. The Figure below is the editing certificate.
Fig. Editing certificate
Comment 3: Please define what a "reduction rate" is.
Revision 3: Reduction rate: the thickness change rate before and after rolling of the billet to the thickness before rolling, i.e. the thinning rate of the billet after rolling.
The above all mandatory revisions were made in red font in the file "Marked-up Manuscript".
Other revisions are made in the " Marked-up Manuscript" document in red font.
The manuscript has been resubmitted. We look forward to your positive response.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Hong Xiao
E-mail: [email protected]
Reviewer 3 Report
The article contains interesting information about the production of composite materials based on steel and aluminum alloy. The shear strength obtained in tests is quite satisfactory.
One wonders what the thickness of the intermediate layer 1060 is like throughout the welded area?
I would be more critical of conclusion #1. Was it possible to obtain a satisfactory composite product? Not once. Certainly, it was possible to cut out samples for testing from this material.
Why were the sheets not riveted on both sides?
Does the different degree of elongation and the widening of two materials affect the welding?
What is the thickness of the steel and aluminum layer after rolling? Observing Figure 7, it seems that layer 5083 has a greater thickness than layer Q235. Why?
Author Response
Dear Editor and Reviewer:
On behalf of the authors, I would like to thank you for your useful comments concerning our manuscript. These comments are of great help in improving the level of our current and future research work. We have modified the manuscript accordingly and have provided the detailed corrections.
The revisions taken from the reviewer’s comments are as follows:
Comment 1: The article contains interesting information about the production of composite materials based on steel and aluminum alloy. The shear strength obtained in tests is quite satisfactory. One wonders what the thickness of the intermediate layer 1060 is like throughout the welded area?
Revision 1: The thicknesses of the 1060 layer were 316 μm, 156 μm, and 95 μm at heating times of 10
s, 18 s, and 20 s, respectively. As shown below:
10 s 18 s 20 s
Comment 2: I would be more critical of conclusion #1. Was it possible to obtain a satisfactory composite product? Not once. Certainly, it was possible to cut out samples for testing from this material.
Revision 2: Conclusion #1 has been corrected:
A high-temperature carbon steel, molten pure aluminum, and low-temperature aluminum alloy billet can be formed by induction heating, and then effective bonding can be formed through rolling. However, without the addition of a pure aluminum interlayer, carbon steel and aluminum alloys cannot be bonded under the same process conditions.
Comment 3: Why were the sheets not riveted on both sides?
Revision 3: During the rolling process, the elongation of aluminum is greater than that of steel. If the tail is also riveted, aluminum cannot effectively extend towards the tail, which will cause aluminum to accumulate at the tail of the composite plate.
Comment 4: Does the different degree of elongation and the widening of two materials affect the welding?
Revision 4: In the rolling process, deformation of aluminium is greater than that of steel, which will produce a large shear stress in steel / aluminium interface, and the shear stress will destroy the steel / aluminium bonding interface easily. So this paper, the induction heating was used to heat the steel plate to a high temperature and the steel was bonded with the low-temperature aluminium by rolling method, the purpose is to make the deformations of steel and aluminium are close to each other in the rolling process.
Comment 5: What is the thickness of the steel and aluminum layer after rolling? Observing Figure 7, it seems that layer 5083 has a greater thickness than layer Q235. Why?
Revision 5: When the heating time is 10 s, the total thickness of the aluminium alloy and the pure aluminium interayer is 4.13 mm, and the thickness of the steel is 3.11 mm; when the heating time is 18 s, the total thickness of the aluminium alloy and the pure aluminium interlayer is 3.84 mm, while the thickness of the steel is 3.41mm. In Fig. 7, it seems that layer 5083 has a greater thickness than layer Q235. On the one hand, it is because the pure aluminium interlayer is bonded with the aluminium alloy 5083 and cannot be distinguished. On the other hand, the temperature of steel Q235 is 680 ℃ when heated to 10 s, while the temperature of aluminium alloy 5083 is 150-200 ℃, at this time, the deformation resistance of steel is lower than that of aluminium alloy, so the deformation of steel Q235 is greater than that of aluminium alloy 5083 in rolling process. When the heating time is increased to 18 s, the temperature of aluminium alloy 5083 is increased, the deformation resistance is decreased, and the temperature of steel Q235 is constant, so the deformation of aluminium increases and the deformation of steel decreases compared with 10 s.
The above all mandatory revisions were made in red font in the file "Marked-up Manuscript".
Other revisions are made in the " Marked-up Manuscript" document in red font.
The manuscript has been resubmitted. We look forward to your positive response.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Hong Xiao
E-mail: [email protected]
Round 2
Reviewer 3 Report
Comment 1. The reviewer meant the thickness of the 1060 aluminum layer throughout the composite area.
Author Response
Dear Editor and Reviewer:
The revisions taken from the reviewer’s comments are as follows:
Comment 1: The reviewer meant the thickness of the 1060 aluminum layer throughout the composite area.
Revision 1: The time of heat conduction between the three plates is longer at the tail of the plate than that of the head, the temperature of the steel at the tail is slightly lower, and the deformation resistance increases, the deformation of 1060 and 5083 get larger, so the thickness of 1060 is slightly reduced, but the decline is not large, the thickness at the tail is reduced by 2-5% compared to the thickness at the head.
We look forward to your positive response.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Hong Xiao
E-mail: [email protected]
