FeSi Phase Research Articles

Joint formation mechanism and mechanical properties of laser brazed Zn coated steel under different defocusing conditions

Laser brazing, producing a class-A joint surface in automotive, relies on the defocus control to manage laser heating mode and braze performance. This work demonstrates that the laser interaction mechanism transitioned from keyhole welding to conduction brazing as defocus distances increased from −20 to ≥18 mm while keeping other parameters consistent. Uniform brazed joints were achieved at defocuses of +22, +25 and + 30 mm. Increased defocus distance resulted in a wider bead, with a larger laser irradiation area and expanded heat affected zone (HAZ), leading to increased steel melting and more Fe-rich precipitates within the Cu braze. The interfacial reaction layers remained Fe(Si) with increasing thickness as defocus changed from +22 to +30 mm, and two distinct Fe(Si) phases were initially identified. The steel Zn coating evaporated upon direct laser irradiation at upper two regions while participated in interfacial reactions at the weld root. At the weld root, a dramatic phase transition from Zn–Cu to Cu was observed, with liquid Zn(Cu) phases particularly forming in joints with a +30 mm defocus, led to solidification cracks that acted as failure initiation sites during tensile testing. Cracks propagated along the interfacial reaction layer/bead interface, or along large Fe-rich precipitates within the bead. A +30 mm defocus produced a lower hardness HAZ than with a +22 mm defocus, due to the higher content of bainite and tempered martensite resulting from a slower cooling rate. This work provides insights into optimizing laser brazing parameters for Zn-coated steel.

Dramatic Enhancement Enabled by Introducing TiN into Bread-like Porous Si-Carbon Anodes for High-Performance and Safe Lithium Storage.

Doping modifications and surface coatings are effective methods to slow volume dilatation and boost the conductivity in silicon (Si) anodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, using low-cost ferrosilicon from industrial production as the energy storage material, a bread-like nitrogen-doped carbon shell-coated porous Si embedded with the titanium nitride (TiN) nanoparticle composite (PSi/TiN@NC) was synthesized by simple ball milling, etching, and self-assembly growth processes. Remarkably, the porous Si structure formed by etching the FeSi2 phase in ferrosilicon alloys can provide buffer space for significant volume expansion during lithiation. Highly conductive and stable TiN particles can act as stress absorption sites for Si and improve the electronic conductivity of the material. Furthermore, the nitrogen-doped porous carbon shell further helps to sustain the structural stability of the electrode material and boost the migration rate of Li-ions. Benefiting from its unique synergistic effect of components, the PSi/TiN@NC anode exhibits a reversible discharge capacity up to 1324.2 mAh g-1 with a capacity retention rate of 91.5% after 100 cycles at 0.5 A g-1 (vs fourth discharge). Simultaneously, the electrode also delivers good rate performance and a stable discharge capacity of 923.6 mAh g-1 over 300 cycles. This research can offer a potential economic strategy for the development of high-performance and inexpensive Si-based anodes for LIBs.

Recovery of niobium and titanium from low-grade niobium ores and the evaluation of Fe5Si3 alloy by-product as oxygen evolution reaction electrocatalysts

A low-grade ore containing 4 % niobium and 7 % titanium has been extracted from Bayan Obo tailing, but its potential has not been fully utilized. This study aims to recover the niobium and titanium elements from this low-grade ores in the form of their carbides. The process involves reducing niobium and titanium to (Nb,Ti)C through a carbothermal process. During this process, iron and silicon are also reduced to Fe-Si intermetallic compounds, allowing (Nb,Ti)C to diffuse into them. Subsequently, selective electrochemical oxidation is used to separate (Nb,Ti)C from the Fe-Si intermetallic compounds in an aqueous ferrous sulfate solution. The Fe-Si intermetallic compounds are first oxidized to the Fe3Si phase, and then to the Fe5Si3 phase in the solution with pH 0.35. The (Nb,Ti)C/matrix interfaces are identified as the preferred site of electrochemical pitting corrosion. By exploiting the electrochemical oxidation reaction of iron in the matrix, (Nb,Ti)C powders are separated along these interfaces. The by-products of this process are FeSi alloys, which are evaluated for their electrocatalytic properties in oxygen evolution reactions. It is found that the Fe5Si3 alloy by-product exhibits good electrocatalytic activity and kinetics in the oxygen evolution reaction, demonstrating its potential for practical applications.

NOVEL INSIGHTS INTO PHASE FORMATION AND ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY OF FeSe ALLOY PREPARED BY POWDER METALLURGY METHOD

This study prepared the FeSe alloy using a powder metallurgy route. The Fe and Se powders were weighed at an atomic ratio of Fe:Se = 1.025:1 and milled for 5 hours. A simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) was performed to observe the behavior of the milled powder during thermal changes. After packing the milled powder in a stainless-steel tube, it was compacted. Investigation was performed to observe how the tetragonal FeSe phase forms at sintering temperatures of 718 K, 818 K, and 918 K. At a sintering temperature of 718 K, the tetragonal FeSe phase was formed, as determined by our quantitative analysis of XRD. The highest tetragonal FeSe phase fraction of 68.46 wt.% was obtained at a temperature of 918 K. The lattice constants of the tetragonal FeSe for the best sample were a = 0.3773 nm and c = 0.5520 nm. The resistivity test demonstrated that all samples have a conductor phenomenon exceeding 16 K, with a maximum Tc-onset value of 15.11 K.

Enhancement of electron–phonon coupling due to increased magnetism and applied hydrostatic pressure in FeSe

Inspired by the parabolic trend of the superconducting transition temperature (Tc ) of bulk FeSe under hydrostatic pressure, we investigated the effect of magnetism and hydrostatic pressure on the electron–phonon coupling (EPC) in FeSe using density-functional perturbation theory. We found that both magnetism and hydrostatic pressure enhanced EPC. The enhancement of the EPC is mainly attributed to phonon softening and deformation potential induced by magnetism, rather than Fermi surface nesting. Furthermore, we investigated the effect of spin fluctuations on superconductivity by applying the random phase approximation method. A possible application of our results to the phase diagram of FeSe under hydrostatic pressure was discussed, and we demonstrated that when EPC and spin fluctuations are both considered, a parabolic superconducting Tc may be obtained, providing a plausible explanation for the phase of FeSe under hydrostatic pressure.

Superconducting Two-Dimensional FeSe Grown on the Fe-Enriched Interface.

Two-dimensional (2D) tetragonal FeSe has sparked extensive research interest owing to its tunable superconductivity, providing valuable insights into the design of high-temperature superconductors. Currently, the intricate Fe-Se phase diagram poses a challenge to the controlled synthesis of superconducting 2D FeSe in a pure tetragonal phase. Here, we exploit the ion-exchange property of fluorophlogopite mica to devise a straightforward approach for the phase-controlled synthesis of tetragonal FeSe on an Fe-enriched mica surface within a molten salt environment. This method successfully produces highly crystalline FeSe in a pure tetragonal phase with adjustable thickness. We investigated the surface composition of the postgrowth mica substrate using various microscopic and spectroscopic characterizations to highlight the importance of the Fe-enriched growth interface in the phase-selective synthesis of 2D tetragonal FeSe. The obtained 2D FeSe exhibited 2D superconductivity, comparable to that of FeSe mechanically exfoliated from bulk crystals, confirming the high quality of our samples. Beyond tetragonal FeSe, 2D antiferromagnetic FeTe and superconducting FeSxSeyTe1-x-y have been phase-selectively synthesized via this approach. Our study elucidates the significance of the growth interface on the phase-selective synthesis of 2D materials and presents potential opportunities for the phase-controlled synthesis of 2D multiphase materials via the rational design of the growth interface.

Thermoelastic Properties of B2‐Type FeSi Under Deep Earth Conditions: Implications for the Compositions of the Ultralow‐Velocity Zones and the Inner Core

AbstractThe CsCl‐type (B2) phase of FeSi (B2‐FeSi) has been proposed as a candidate phase in the ultralow‐velocity zones (ULVZs) at the base of the lower mantle and in the Earth's inner core. However, the elastic properties of B2‐FeSi under relevant conditions remain unclear. Here we determine the density, elastic constants, and velocities of B2‐FeSi at high pressures (90–390 GPa) and temperatures (3,000–6,000 K) relevant to the Earth's lower most mantle and the inner core, using first‐principles molecular dynamics simulations. At the base of the lower mantle, B2‐FeSi shows significantly lower velocities and a higher density than those of the ambient mantle. Mechanical mixing models suggest the presence of ∼27–39 vol% B2‐FeSi in the silicate mantle is consistent with the reduced velocities and the elevated density of ULVZs observed seismically. On the other hand, the hcp‐Fe and B2‐FeSi mixture exhibits higher bulk sound velocity compared to the PREM under inner core conditions. Adding superionic H in the interstitial sites of B2‐FeSi lowers its density but has little effect on the bulk sound velocity of B2‐FeSi, precluding H‐bearing B2‐FeSi as a major component in the Earth's inner core.

Microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of high strength and high conductivity Cu[sbnd]Fe alloy wire prepared by cold drawing

CuFe alloy wire is widely used in the field of electronic information because of its high strength and high conductivity. In this study, Cu-5Fe-0.1Si-0.3 Mg-0.05RE (La, Ce) alloys were prepared by cold drawing and heat treatment. The microstructure evolution of the alloy during deformation was studied by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Three kinds of second phases with different sizes and shapes were successfully constructed in the designed alloys, including fibrous iron phase, submicron spherical iron phase and nano spherical phase. The strength of the alloy is greatly improved by drawing deformation, with only slight reduction of the conductivity. Through joint addition of Mg, Si and rare earth elements, the designed CuFe alloy wire rod has excellent overall properties. It's electrical conductivity, tensile strength, yield strength and elongation reached 63.8% IACS, 831 MPa, 730 MPa and 6.1%, respectively. Detailed characterizations of the alloys reveal that: the addition of Mg reduces solid solubility limit of iron in matrix and spaces between iron phases; the FeSi phase formed by Si and Fe promotes the precipitation of iron phase; and the addition of rare earth inhibits segregation of second phase, recovery and recrystallization of the alloy, and the coarsening of Fe phase. The mechanical properties of the alloy are improved by fiber strengthening, Hall-Petch strengthening and precipitation strengthening, respectively. The contributions of precipitation strengthening, fiber strengthening and Hall-Petch strengthening to yield strength are 65 MPa, 59 MPa and 277 MPa, respectively. The microstructure of dislocation and fibrosis is the main factor of alloy strengthening.

Влияние предварительной плазменной обработки поверхности стали 09Г2С на формирование покрытия в результате горячего цинкования

In recent years, the range of silicon-containing steels subjected to hot galvanizing has been expanding. Alloying of steel with 0.5–1 % of silicon leads to the formation of a zinc coating of great thickness with a matte or multi-colored surface. This is associated with the changes in phase reactions between iron and zinc in the Fe–Zn–Si system. The development of ways to neutralize the negative influence of silicon on the formation of zinc coating is an urgent task. The purpose of the work is to study the influence of preliminary plasma cutting and plasma surface hardening of 09G2S (S355J2) steel on the thickness and structure of zinc coating formed on treated surfaces. It was found that after plasma cutting, the structure of the surface layer of steel is martensite, and after plasma surface hardening, it is martensite and ferrite. Analysis of the change in microhardness from the steel surface to the middle showed that the hardened layer depth is 400 μm. A zinc coating consisting of a δ-phase and a ζ-phase is formed on the surface of the steel without pretreatment. On the surface of the steel after plasma treatment, a zinc coating is formed characteristic of low-silicon steels and consisting of the δ-phase, ζ-phase, and η-phase. It was found that the thickness of the zinc coating on the surface after plasma cutting is two times less than on the untreated surface, and the reduction in the coating thickness occurs due to a decrease in the ζ-phase thickness. A hypothesis was suggested that the martensite formation on the steel surface leads to the disappearance of the ordered FeSi phase and changes the phase equilibrium in the Fe–Zn–Si system. Consequently, preliminary plasma treatment of the steel surface allows controlling the structure and thickness of the resulting zinc coating and is therefore recommended for introduction into the hot galvanizing process of silicon-containing steels.

New monoclinic ground state of FeSi

By means of ab initio techniques with the hybrid functional we show the existence of a new phase of FeSi with the monoclinic symmetry (space group P21) originated from the B20 cubic structure (space group P213) due to slight orthorhombic distortion, which is turned out to be the ground state. The monoclinic FeSi not only displays the minimum in the total energy, but it is also characterized by a phonon spectrum without imaginary frequencies and by conducting properties (contrary to semiconducting properties of cubic FeSi) with antiferromagnetic ordering and the magnetic moment of 2.3 μB for each Fe atom. These findings are supported by data of X-ray diffraction and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy of ultrathin FeSi films (∼3nm in thickness) grown on Si(111) by solid-phase epitaxy indicating the monoclinic symmetry to fit better the film structure as compared to the cubic symmetry, as well as by resistivity versus temperature measurements within a wide temperature range (2–300 K) pointing out bad metal properties. The analysis of field and temperature dependences of the magnetic moment of ultrathin FeSi films shows the presence of a ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic two-phase state. We also discuss how our findings of the new phase of FeSi can interpret its known experimental data on electronic, transport and optical properties without involving the metal–insulator transition and Kondo-like effects.

Physicochemical characteristics of new complex niobium-containing alloys

The authors studied the physicochemical characteristics of new complex alloys containing, %: 11 – 30 Nb, 23 – 28 Si, 3 – 10 Al and 3 – 4 Ti. It was shown that complex alloys have the most favorable values of density and crystallization temperatures compared to standard ferroniobium (60 wt. % Nb). Complex alloys with a low concentration of niobium have acceptable crystallization temperatures and optimal density values (5740 – 6560 kg/m3). This allows the pieces of ferroalloy to be completely in the liquid steel when it is released into the ladle, and to be constantly in motion, which increases absorption of the leading components. When the niobium concentration increases to 30 %, phase composition of the alloy changes: a decrease in the proportion of the low-temperature FeSi phase with low density values and an increase in the proportion of the high-density ternary compound NbFeSi2 with a crystallization temperature of ~1713 °C. An increase in Nb concentration from 11 to 17 % leads to a decrease in the crystallization temperature, and a further increase to 30 % Nb, on the contrary, is accompanied by an increase in the liquidus and solidus temperatures to 1700 and 1610 °C, respectively, which is consistent with liquidus line in phase diagram of the Fe – Nb system with a minimum in Nb concentration range ~18 %. The best characteristics, both from the point of view of obtaining ferroalloys and use for alloying steel, belong to an alloy containing, wt. %: 17.1 Nb, 24.6 Si, 7.6 Al and 3 Ti. This alloy is characterized by the temperature of crystallization onset (1550 °C) below the liquid steel bath temperature and belongs to the category of low-melting alloys. It has optimal density values – 6390 kg/m3, which has a positive effect on the performance characteristics of niobium ferroalloys.

Effects of multi-directional forging on the microstructure and mechanical properties of TiB2 particulate reinforced 6061Al composite

TiB2 particulate reinforced 6061Al (TiB2/6061Al) composite was fabricated by hot press sintering, and multi-directional forging was further applied to enhance the microstructure and mechanical properties. The results showed that TiB2/6061Al composite with high sintering quality was achieved. Both TiB2 particles and forging promoted the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization, contributing to the refinement of grain structure. The degree of dynamic recovery was also enhanced as the increase of forging pass, which retarded the further reduction of grain size. Al(Cr, Fe)Si phase having a pinning effect on the movement of dislocations was found in Al matrix. The edged dislocations and lattice distortion were introduced by forging, and the highest density of edged dislocations was achieved after 3 passes. Moreover, the Mg-rich layer formed at the interface between TiB2 particle and Al matrix, indicating a good bonding quality of the interface. Due to the effects of load transfer, grain refinement, and dislocation strengthening, the hardness and ultimate tensile strength of the composite increased by 48.1 % and 27.4 %, respectively. However, as the forging pass increases from 3 to 9, the increments of hardness and strength were not obvious, since the softening effect attributed to dynamic recovery became dominant.

Magnetic properties and structure of the Fe63.5Mn10Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 alloy nanocrystallized under tensile stresses

The influence of introduction of 10 at. % Mn for Fe in the classical Finemet (Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9) on its magnetic properties, magnetic anisotropy, and structure is studied after nanocrystallization annealing at 520°C with varying duration from 10 min to 4 h in the presence of tensile stresses (σ = 200 MPa) (SA) and without them (NA). It is established that in the Fe63.5Mn10Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 alloy (Mn10-alloy), just as in the classical Finemet, SA results in the induction of transverse magnetic anisotropy, yet, the constant of induced magnetic anisotropy is decreased by a factor of 4. The coercivity of the Mn10-alloy grows with increasing annealing time upon both SA and NA, while that of Finemet virtually does not change. Unlike Finemet, in the Mn10-alloy, along with the α-Fe(Si, Mn) solid solution and Fe3Si phase, there form borides already after 10-min treatment. This results in the change in the volume fractions of structure components with a negative magnetostriction, α-Fe(Si, Mn) and Fe3Si, which are responsible for the induction of transverse magnetic anisotropy, and positive magnetostriction, FeB, Fe2B, Fe3B, and hence, most likely, causes decrease in the constant of IMA of the Mn10-alloy. Besides, unlike Finemet, the average grain size in the alloy with Mn increases with the time of annealing, which, together with the formation of borides, increases the coercivity.

A comparative study on nanocrystalline soft magnetic Fe-Si-B-Nb-Cu alloys made of pure elements and ferro-alloys

In the present study, we report a cost-effective method of flux-shielded air induction melting using commercial grade master alloys to produce nanocrystalline soft magnetic Fe73.5Si13.5B9Nb3Cu1 alloy. For comparison, the alloy was made from highly pure raw materials as well. The structure and soft magnetic properties of the commercial grade alloy is similar to the pure one. Air induction melting process with flux not only removed impurities through chemical reactions, it also provided protection from oxidation. Studies of glass formation through experimental findings and Glass Forming Ability (GFA) calculations through ΔT value, α-parameter and PHSS parameter and studies using Calphad (Calculation of Phase Diagram) method have shown that the impurities present in the commercial grade alloy did not affect the glass formation compared to the pure grade alloy. Impurities present in the commercial grade alloy increase the activation energy of crystallization of Fe3Si phase, which in turn influences the volume fraction and grain size of Fe3Si phase during annealing treatment. Amorphous phase TC was found to decrease due to the impurities present in the amorphous phase and this decreased exchange interaction between Fe-Fe atoms. Saturation magnetization and coercivity of commercial grade alloy are almost equivalent to the alloys prepared with pure elements and they are independent of type and concentration of impurities. Lowest coercivity in commercial grade alloy can be achieved in less annealing time which can lead to increase the productivity and reduce the cost further.

Spontaneous orbital polarization in the nematic phase of FeSe.

The origin of nematicity in FeSe remains a critical outstanding question towards understanding unconventional superconductivity in proximity to nematic order. To understand what drives the nematicity, it is essential to determine which electronic degree of freedom admits a spontaneous order parameter independent from the structural distortion. Here we use X-ray linear dichroism at the Fe K pre-edge to measure the anisotropy of the 3d orbital occupation as a function of in situ applied stress and temperature across the nematic transition. Along with using X-ray diffraction to precisely quantify the strain state, we reveal a lattice-independent, spontaneously ordered orbital polarization within the nematic phase, as well as an orbital polarizability that diverges as the transition is approached from above. These results provide strong evidence that spontaneous orbital polarization serves as the primary order parameter of the nematic phase.

Effects of silicon concentration on the magnetic and structural properties of nanostructured Fe-Si alloy synthesized by ball mill process

This study aims to elaborate on the production of a nanostructured Fe-Si alloy with varying silicon concentrations and how it can enhance the magnetic properties of the alloy. In order to achieve this, the mechanical alloying technique was employed to create the nanostructured alloy. After the mechanical ball milling process, the morphological, structural, and magnetic properties of the alloy were thoroughly analyzed using advanced techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The results from these techniques revealed significant changes in the properties of the alloy. One of the major findings of this study was the appearance of Fe3Si phase, commonly known as Suessite, after the mechanical milling process. This indicates that the milling process caused a transformation in the crystal structure of the alloy. Additionally, an increase in silicon concentration led to a reduction in crystallite sizes, which was observed through the XRD analysis. Furthermore, the lattice strain and lattice parameters of the alloy were observed to increase with increasing silicon concentration until it reached 3%. After this point, the value of the lattice parameter remained constant, indicating that further increases in silicon concentration did not significantly impact the lattice structure of the alloy. The FTIR analysis revealed the presence of a distinct band at 1070 cm−1, indicating the occurrence of stretching vibrations associated with Fe-Si bonds. The milled samples exhibit improved magnetic properties, with increased saturation magnetization values observed as the silicon concentration increased.

Electromagnetic levitation and solidification of ferrosilicon alloy and resulting microstructural evolution mechanisms

In this study, to improve pulverization of Fe–Si alloy, the evolution of its microstructure under container and containerless solidification conditions were investigated using electromagnetic levitation melting technology. The results indicated that the microstructure changed from dendritic crystals during container solidification to equiaxed crystals with containerless solidification. With an undercooling of 280K obtained by containerless solidification, the pulverizing sensitive elements (Al, P) disperse better in FeSi2 phase. The equiaxed Si grains with relatively uniform grain size obtained under ΔT=280K are distributed in random orientation. High angle grain boundaries are significantly more present with the increase of misorientation within FeSi2 grains. This texture is closely related to recrystallization in favor of grain refinement, which is attributed to the melt oscillation and dendrites remelting-recrystallization effects occurring in containerless solidification.

Microstructures in Iron-rich FeSi Alloys by First-principles Phase Field and Special Quasirandom Structure Methods

Coarse grained phase morphologies of iron-rich region of FeSi alloys at 1050 K are investigated by using first-principles phase field and special quasirandom structure methods without relying on any experimental or empirical information. From the free energy comparison, we find that, for the Si concentration less than 25 at%, a solid-solution-like homogeneous phase is most stable, although a random pattern in nm scale consisting of B2 Fe4–xSix and D03 Fe3Si phases may appear at 12.5 at% Si at somewhat lower temperatures. We make a conjecture that, around 12.5 at% Si, such a random pattern in nm scale is the origin of the zero magnetostriction and low magnetic anisotropy. This solves a long-standing problem of the experimentally observed zero magnetostriction at 6.5 wt% Si. On the other hand, for the Si concentration slightly larger than 25 at%, FeSi alloys prefer two-phase coexistence of the D03 Fe3Si phase and the B2 FeSi phase. All these findings are in good accordance with the available experimental evidence.

Enhanced Superconducting Pairing Strength near a Pure Nematic Quantum Critical Point

The quest for high-temperature superconductivity at ambient pressure is a central issue in physics. In this regard, the relationship between unconventional superconductivity and the quantum critical point (QCP) associated with the suppression of some form of symmetry-breaking order to zero temperature has received particular attention. The key question is how the strength of the electron pairs changes near the QCP, and this can be verified by high-field experiments. However, such studies are limited mainly to superconductors with magnetic QCPs, and the possibility of unconventional mechanisms by which nonmagnetic QCP promotes strong pairing remains a nontrivial issue. Here, we report systematic measurements of the upper critical field $H_{{\rm c2}}$ in nonmagnetic FeSe$_{1-x}$Te$_{x}$ superconductors, which exhibit a QCP of electronic nematicity characterized by spontaneous rotational-symmetry breaking. As the magnetic field increases, the superconducting phase of FeSe$_{1-x}$Te$_{x}$ shrinks to a narrower dome surrounding the nematic QCP. The analysis of $H_{{\rm c2}}$ reveals that the Pauli-limiting field is enhanced toward the QCP, implying that the pairing interaction is significantly strengthened via nematic fluctuations emanated from the QCP. Remarkably, this nonmagnetic nematic QCP is not accompanied by a divergent effective mass, distinct from the magnetically mediated pairing. Our observation opens up a nonmagnetic route to high-temperature superconductivity.

Controlling interfacial composition and improvement in bonding strength of compound casted Al/steel bimetal via Cr interlayer

The fabrication of Al/steel bimetal with a good metallurgical interface is always a great challenge, particularly for the improvement of bonding strength due to the inevitably extensive formation of brittle Al–Fe intermetallic compounds (IMCs) at the interface. Therefore, in this work, the electroplated Cr coating with thickness of 5 μm was firstly used as the interlayer of Al/steel bimetal to suppress Al–Fe IMCs and further improve the interfacial bonding strength. Al/steel bimetal was prepared by compound casting combined with a hot-dip aluminizing process. The results showed that the interface of Al/steel bimetal with Cr interlayer contained an unmolten Cr coating and a reaction layer, in which the latter consisted mainly of Al13Cr4Si4, Al5Cr, Al-rich solid solution and CrSi2 phases. Besides, the morphology of these new Al–Cr–Si and Al–Cr phases was granular rather than the tongue-shaped of Al–Fe phase and the polygonal blocky of Al–Fe–Si phase. Both the microstructure characterization and kinetics calculation results revealed that the application of Cr interlayer could avoid the contact between Fe atoms from steel side and Al atoms from Al alloy side, thereby suppressing the formation of brittle Al–Fe phases at the interface. Moreover, the reaction layer showed a lower nano-hardness than that of without Cr interlayer. With assistance of Cr interlayer, Al/steel bimetal with maximum shear strength of 115.5 MPa was obtained and the interface failed through the Al alloy side. The morphology characteristic and lower nano-hardness of these new phases, the composite structure consisting of Al–Cr–Si and Al–Cr layer together with the Al-rich solid solution layer greatly contributed to the enhancement of the interfacial strength for the Al/steel bimetal.