Influence of interface shape on microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg/Al composite plates fabricated by hot-pressing

• A novel method for fabricating Mg/Al composite plates with a corrugated interface via cold-pressing and hot-pressing is proposed. • Cold-pressing induces intense plastic deformation and dynamic recrystallization near the Al surface, enhancing interfacial bonding. • The corrugated interface increases shear strength by 2–4 times due to increased contact area and mechanical interlocking. • Mechanical properties are strongly dependent on the orientation of the corrugation relative to the loading direction.