The rapid and solid joining of thermoplastic to metal is of great significance for structural lightweighting. A thermoplastic acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and laser textured 5052 Al is joined by ultrasonic welding with longitude wave in this study. Influence of the texturing type on microstructure and joint strength are investigated. Experimental results showed that the texturing type was a major factor in joint strength, and the mesh array was superior than circular hole array in terms of joint strength. The maximum joint strength of 17.87 MPa was obtained in L1, which was about 2.4 times and 3.6 times of these other two cases. Interfacial and cohesive failure mode was observed, and the fracture surface can be divided into four different parts: light black mark Region Ⅰ, transitional Region Ⅱ, Region Ⅲ with dense residues, and porous structure Region Ⅳ. The joint strength increased with the increase of Regions Ⅱ and Ⅲ while dropped with the occurrence of Region Ⅳ. Thermal decomposition of ABS composite resulted from the high temperature during welding process was responsible for the formation of Region Ⅳ. The joining mechanism in UW of ABS to laser textured 5052 Al was mechanical interlocking. Successful joining of ABS/Al hybrid structure by ultrasonic welding appears to be a reliable and potential technique for industrial applications.
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