Metallurgical Characterization and Mechanical Properties of Solid–Liquid Compound Casting of Aluminum Alloy: Steel Bimetallic Materials

Integration of two metallurgically distinct materials (bimetallic) is an inevitable advancement in the automotive and marine field. In this context, this study investigates the fabrication, characterization, and properties of solid–liquid compound cast aluminum alloy AA5052 and ferrous alloy (mild steel and galvanized iron) based bimetallic materials. Microstructural evolution, microhardness, and tensile strength of the developed bimetallic material are investigated. The results show that the formation of cracks at the interface in AA5052/Mild Steel caused the joint failure in the course of preliminary testing. In AA5052/Galvanized Iron, the growth of intermetallics at the oxide-free steel surface results in a shear strength of 19.9 MPa. XRD analysis attests to the presence of brittle intermetallics and Al bond at the interface of AA5052/Galvanized Iron bimetallic material, which in turn confirms the development of a metallurgical.