{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]],"date-time":"2026-04-22T08:37:28Z","timestamp":1776847048299,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,20]],"date-time":"2025-04-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1745107200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Arak University","award":["CEECIND\/02752\/2018"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CEECIND\/02752\/2018"]}]},{"name":"Arak University","award":["CEECIND\/03276\/2018"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CEECIND\/03276\/2018"]}]},{"name":"Arak University","award":["UIDP\/50022\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDP\/50022\/2020"]}]},{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)","award":["CEECIND\/02752\/2018"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CEECIND\/02752\/2018"]}]},{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)","award":["CEECIND\/03276\/2018"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CEECIND\/03276\/2018"]}]},{"name":"Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)","award":["UIDP\/50022\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDP\/50022\/2020"]}]},{"name":"LAETA\u2013Laboratorio Associado de Energia, Transportes e Aeronautica","award":["CEECIND\/02752\/2018"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CEECIND\/02752\/2018"]}]},{"name":"LAETA\u2013Laboratorio Associado de Energia, Transportes e Aeronautica","award":["CEECIND\/03276\/2018"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["CEECIND\/03276\/2018"]}]},{"name":"LAETA\u2013Laboratorio Associado de Energia, Transportes e Aeronautica","award":["UIDP\/50022\/2020"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UIDP\/50022\/2020"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Metals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The automotive and aerospace industries increasingly rely on lightweight, high-strength materials to improve fuel efficiency, making the joining of dissimilar metals such as aluminum and steel both beneficial and essential. However, a major challenge in these joints is the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds (IMCs) at the interface, even when using low heat-input solid-state welding methods like friction stir welding (FSW). Furthermore, IMC growth at elevated temperatures significantly limits the service life of these joints. In this study, an intermediate layer of stainless steel was deposited on the steel surface prior to FSW with aluminum. The resulting Al\u2013Steel joints were subjected to heat treatment at 400 \u00b0C and 550 \u00b0C to investigate IMC growth and its impact on mechanical strength, with results compared to conventional joints without the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer significantly suppressed IMC formation, leading to a smaller reduction in mechanical strength after heat treatment. Joints with the intermediate layer achieved their highest strength (350 MPa) after heat treatment at 400 \u00b0C, while conventional joints exhibited their highest strength (225 MPa) in the as-welded condition. At 550 \u00b0C, both joint types experienced a decline in strength; however, the joint with the intermediate layer retained a strength of 100 MPa, whereas the conventional joint lost its strength entirely. This study provides an in-depth analysis of the role of IMC growth in joint strength and demonstrates how the intermediate layer enhances the thermal durability and mechanical performance of Al\u2013Steel joints, offering valuable insights for their application in high-temperature environments.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/met15040465","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,20]],"date-time":"2025-04-20T20:31:36Z","timestamp":1745181096000},"page":"465","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Enhancing High-Temperature Durability of Aluminum\/Steel Joints: The Role of Ni and Cr in Substitutional Diffusion Within Intermetallic Compounds"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-6181-9938","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Masih","family":"Bolhasani Hesari","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Materials Engineering and Metallurgy, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak 38156-8-8349, Iran"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0110-1642","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Reza","family":"Beygi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Materials Engineering and Metallurgy, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak 38156-8-8349, Iran"}]},{"given":"Tiago O. G.","family":"Teixeira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"Eduardo A. S.","family":"Marques","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1933-0865","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ricardo J. C.","family":"Carbas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI), Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3272-4591","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lucas F. M.","family":"da Silva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,4,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Boumerzoug, Z., and Helal, Y. (2017). Friction stir welding of dissimilar materials aluminum AL6061-T6 to ultra low carbon steel. Metals, 7.","DOI":"10.3390\/met7020042"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bahador, A., Hamzah, E., and Mamat, M.F. (2015). Effect of filler metals on the mechanical properties of dissimilar welding of stainless steel 316L and carbon steel A516 GR 70. J. Teknol., 75.","DOI":"10.11113\/jt.v75.5174"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Polmear, I., StJohn, D., Nie, J.-F., and Qian, M. (2017). 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