Significantly Enhanced Mg/Al Bimetallic Interface by Compound Casting via Combination of Gd Addition and Vibration

The coarse solidification microstructure and the existence of brittle intermetallic compounds (IMCs) are the main reasons for the poor interface properties of Mg/Al bimetal prepared by compound casting. In this work, the combination of Gd addition and vibration was proposed to strengthen the interface of the Mg/Al bimetal manufactured by the solid–liquid compound casting. The Gd can improve the microstructure of the eutectic layer but is prone to aggregation in the interface. Further application of the vibration with the addition of the Gd can solve the problem of the Gd being prone to segregation, reduce the thickness of the IMC layer, and make the distribution of the Mg 2 Si phase located in the IMC layer more dispersed. Therefore, the Mg/Al bimetal reached a higher shear strength of 54.25 MPa, increased by 19 pct compared to the bimetal with only Gd addition. Graphical Abstract