Ti-steel　laminated　metal　composites　have　been　widely　used　in　shipbuilding　and　the　chemical　industry　due　to　the　superior　corrosion　resistance　of　Ti　and　the　favorable　mechanical　properties　of　stainless　steel.　In　this　paper,　Ti-steel　laminated　metal　composites　without　Ti-Fe　IMCs　have　been　fabricated　by　directed　energy　deposition-arc　method　using　a　Cu-Ni　transition　interlayer.　Based　on　the　analysis　of　microstructure　analysis,　the　cross-sectional　microstructure　can　be　divided　into　304SS　/　Cu-Ni　interface　containing　(Fe,　Cr)　and　(Cu)　solid　solution,　Cu-Ni　deposition　layer　containing　(Fe,　Cr)　and　(Cu)　solid　solution,　and　TA2/Cu-Ni　interface　containing　Ti2FeCu　and　Ti-Cu　IMCs.　Besides,　the　Cu-Ni　deposition　layer　contains　a　small　content　of　recrystallized　grains　with　{100}　texture　and　a　large　content　of　deformed　grains　with{100}　texture　due　to　the　impact　of　arc　and　droplets　during　continuous　depositions.　Furthermore,　the　peak　hardness　is　decreased　to　518　Hv　and　the　mean　value　of　compressive　shear　strength　is　enhanced　to　195.27　MPa,　which　can　be　attributed　to　the　elimination　of　interfacial　Ti-Fe　IMCs,　defect-free　microstructure,　and　residual　stress　relief.　Based　on　polarization　curves　and　electrochemical　impedance　spectroscopy,　the　corrosion　resistance　reduction　of　the　cross-section　is　due　to　the　formation　of　a　mass　of　primary　battery　systems.　Furthermore,　based　on　the　thermodynamics　calculation　of　Fe-Cu-Ni,　Ti-Fe-Cu,　and　Ti-Ni-Cu　ternary　systems,　the　alloying　mechanism　is　that　Ti-based　IMCs　with　lower　Gibbs　free　energy　will　be　formed　instead　of　brittle　Ti-Fe　IMCs,　resulting　in　the　elimination　of　Ti-Fe　IMCs　and　the　formation　of　less　brittle　phases　at　both　304SS　/　Cu-Ni　interface　and　TA2　/　Cu-Ni　interface.　©　2024　Elsevier　B.V.