Interface analysis and hot deformation behaviour of a novel laminated composite with high-Cr cast iron and low carbon steel prepared by hot compression bonding

A hot compression bonding process was developed to prepare a novel laminated composite consisting of high-Cr cast iron (HCCI) as the inner layer and low carbon steel (LCS) as the outer layers on a Gleeble 3500 thermomechanical simulator at a temperature of 950 °C and a strain rate of 0.001 S-1. Interfacial bond quality and hot deformation behaviour of the laminate were studied by microstructural characterisation and mechanical tests. Experimental results show that the metallurgical bond between the constituent metals was achieved under the proposed bonding conditions without discernible defects and the formation of interlayer or intermetallic layer along the interface. The interfacial bond quality is excellent since no deterioration occurred around the interface which was deformed by Vickers indentation and compression test at room temperature with parallel loading to the interface. After well cladding by the LCS, the brittle HCCI can be severely deformed (about 57 % of reduction) at high temperature with crack-free. This significant improvement should be attributed to the decrease of crack sensitivity due to stress relief by soft claddings and enhanced flow property of the HCCI by simultaneous deformation with the LCS.