This study aimed to investigate the effect of different coating processes on interlayer coating using ProCAST software and identify the preferred coating process so as to prepare an EH40/2205 composite plate with a coating interlayer of Ni-5 Fe-15 Co (wt.%) displaying good performance. The preparation and characterization tests were conducted to analyze the interlayer coating, the diffusion of elements at the bonding interface and the mechanical properties of the hot-rolled composite plate. The results showed that the coating rate increased linearly with an increase in the initial coating temperature, pressure difference and the width ratio of the suction layer. The interlayer coating was complete under the guidance of optimized process parameters, and the test results and simulations confirmed each other. The coated interlayer successfully blocked the diffusion of elements between the bonding surfaces. The tensile strength of the rolled composite plate was 580 MPa, which met the needs of the project. The tensile shear fracture occurred at EH40, which proved that the plate was well bonded.

The interface characteristics, bending and impact behavior, as well as fracture characteristics of stainless steel clad plates fabricated by vacuum hot rolling at different rolling temperatures of 1100°C, 1200°C and 1300°C are investigated in detail. The interface bonding strength is gradually increased with the increasing rolling temperature due to the sufficient diffusion behavior of alloy element. The bending toughness and impact toughness are gradually decreased, while the bending strength increase with the increase of the rolling temperature, which is attributed to mechanisms of matrix softening and interface strengthening at high rolling temperature. Due to the weak interface at 1100°C, the bending and impact crack propagation path was displaced by delamination cracks, which in turn lead to reduction in stress intensity of the main crack, playing an effective role in toughening the stainless steel clad plates. Moreover, the impact fracture morphologies of clad plates show a typical ductile-brittle transition phenomenon, which is attributed to the matrix softening behavior with the increasing rolling temperature.