J.P. Oliveira, B. Panton, Z. Zeng,C. M Andrei, Y. Zhou, R.M. Miranda, F.M. Braz Fernandes

^aCENIMAT/I3N, Dep. of Materials Science, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal

^bCentre for Advanced Materials Joining, University of Waterloo, Canada

^cSchool of Mechanical, Electronic, and Industrial Engineering, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, China

^dCanadian Center for Electron Microscopy, Brockhouse Institute for Materials Research, McMaster University, Canada

^eUNIDEMI, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Caparica, Portugal

Laser welding of NiTi to Ti6Al4V by fusion-based methods is difficult owing to the formation of brittle intermetallic compounds. To overcome such problem the use of interlayers is of interest. In this work, a Nb interlayer was used to prevent mixing between NiTi and Ti6Al4V during laser welding. Advanced microstructural characterization via scanning and transmission electron microscopy, nanoindentation and synchrotron X-ray diffraction was used to understand the joining mechanisms and microstructural evolution.