Interfacial microstructure, bonding strength and fracture of magnesium-aluminum laminated composite plates fabricated by direct hot pressing

A direct hot pressing method is developed to fabricate duplex metal plates of magnesium alloy base plate and aluminum cover plate. A metallurgical bonding between the base plate and the cover plate is achieved with formation of three distinct bonding subzones, two single-phase layers Al3Mg2 and Mg17Al12, and one two-phase layer Mg17Al12 and alpha-Mg. The tensile strength across the bonding interface is as high as 24 MPa, and the Al3Mg2 layer is the weak link of the bonding where fracture occurs. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.