Analysis of a sustainable welding process for joining copper alloy C23000 to polyethylene polymer as a hybrid joint

Osamah Sabah Barrak; Mahmood Mohammed Hamzah; Sabah Khammass Hussein; Nabil Kadhim Taieh

doi:10.15282/ijame.23.3.2026.10.1046

Authors

Osamah Sabah Barrak Polytechnic College of Engineering - Baghdad, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq , Middle Technical University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0533-6561
Mahmood Mohammed Hamzah College of Engineering, Al-Iraqia University, Baghdad, Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5680-5519
Sabah Khammass Hussein Engineering Technical College - Baghdad, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq , Middle Technical University
Nabil Kadhim Taieh Engineering Technical College - Baghdad, Middle Technical University, Baghdad, Iraq , Middle Technical University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15282/ijame.23.3.2026.10.1046

Keywords:

Sustainable, Welding Process, Copper Alloy C23000, Polyethylene Polymer, Hybrid Joints

Abstract

The reliable joining of copper alloys and thermoplastic polymers remains a major challenge because of the substantial differences in their thermal and physical properties. Studies on the direct joining of copper alloy C23000 to polyethylene (PE) using pinless friction spot welding (FSW) are limited. Using FSW with a pinless cylindrical tool, this study investigated a sustainable approach for producing hybrid metal–polymer joints by joining a copper alloy, C23000, with polyethylene (PE). Tensile shear testing was used to evaluate the joint performance after systematically varying the process parameters, including the tool rotational speed (1100, 1400, and 1800 rpm) and welding time (1, 1.5, and 2 min). According to the design of experiments (DOE) analysis, the maximum tensile shear strength of 3256 N was achieved at 1400 rpm for 2 min. Owing to the thermal degradation of the polymer, an excessive rotational speed (1800 rpm) reduced the joint strength. At the copper–PE interface, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a well-formed mechanical interlock with an interfacial width of 19–24 μm, indicating good interfacial continuity and a low defect density. The results indicate that pinless friction stir welding is an effective and environmentally friendly solid-state joining technique for producing reliable metal–polymer hybrid joints without additional adhesives or mechanical fasteners. In conclusion, the developed joints demonstrate significant potential for lightweight applications in the automotive, aerospace, and electronics industries, where mechanical reliability, recyclability, and weight reduction are critical.

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