Characteristics of clad aluminum hollow billet prepared by horizontal continuous casting

• 3003/4045 clad hollow billet was fabricated by horizontal continuous casting.
• Metallurgical bond occurs during the solidification due to diffusions of Si and Mn.
• The shear strength of the interface is higher than that of the 3003 alloy.
• Incompatible deformation between 3003 and 4045 occurs during rolling processes.

The 3003/4045 clad hollow billets are prepared in the present study. Microstructures, solute distribution and bonding strength of the interfacial regions were investigated. The effects of plastic deformation on the evolution of microstructure and microhardness of the interfaces were also studied. The results show that metallurgical bonding between the solid and liquid Al alloys can be obtained with optimal parameters. Si and Mn atoms diffuse across the interface to form a diffusion layer with the thickness about 30 μm on average. The mean tensile-shear strength of as-cast clad hollow billet is 85.3 ± 9.2 MPa, and the strength of the interface is higher than that of 3003 alloy. Incompatible deformation between 3003 and 4045 layers occurs during rolling processes, and the needle-like Si phase transforms to the dispersive particles. The gradient distribution of microhardness across the interface is retained after the deformation.