Microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–Zn–(Nd)–Zr alloys with different extrusion processes

The effect of Nd addition and the in?uence of extrusion processes on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–6Zn–0.5Zr(ZK60) and Mg–6Zn–1.5Nd–0.5Zr(ZKNd602) alloys were investigated. Nd element can obviously re?ne the microstructure of both as-cast and asextruded Mg–Zn–Nd–Zr alloy. All of the extruded alloys exhibit a bimodal grain structure composed of equiaxed?ne recrystallized(DRXed) grains and elongated coarse un DRXed grains. It is necessary to achieve high strength,particularly the yield strength, for ZKNd602 alloy, when it is extruded with a lower extrusion temperature, a suitable extrusion ratio and a relatively lower extrusion ram speed. In this study, the ultimate tensile strength(UTS),yield strength(YS) and elongation(El) of the extruded ZKNd602 alloy were 421 MPa, 402 MPa and 6.7 %,respectively, with extrusion temperature of 290 °C, extrusion ratio of 18:1 and a ram speed of approximate0.4 mm·s~(-1). Meanwhile, the extrusion process has obvious effects on the room-temperature properties but weak effects on the high-temperature properties.     

Influence of Zn Content on Microstructure and Tensile Properties of Mg–Zn–Y–Nd Alloy

In the present study, the effect of Zn content on the microstructure and deformation behavior of the as-cast Mg–Zn–Y–Nd alloy has been investigated. The results showed that as Zn content increased, the volume fraction of secondary phases increased. Moreover, the phase transformation from W-phase to W-phase and I-phase occurred. In the as-cast state,W-phase exists as eutectic and large block form. When Zn content increases to 6 and 8%(wt%), small I-phase could precipitate around W-phase particles. Additionally, the effect of Zn content on the tensile properties and deformation behavior varies with the testing temperature. At room temperature, the tensile strength increases with Zn content, whereas the elongation increases initially and then decreases. At 250 °C, as Zn content increases, the tensile strength decreases initially and then increases slightly, whereas the elongation decreases. At 350 °C, the elongation increases with Zn content,whereas the tensile strength decreases initially and then increases slightly.     

Obtaining Ultra-High Strength and Ductility in a Mg–Gd–Er–Zn–Zr Alloy via Extrusion,Pre-deformation and Two-Stage Aging

The Mg–12Gd–1Er–1Zn–0.9 Zr(wt%) alloy with ultra-high strength and ductility was developed via hot extrusion combined with pre-deformation and two-stage aging treatment.The age-hardening behavior and microstructure evolution were investigated.Pre-deformation introduced a large number of dislocations,resulting in strain hardening and higher precipitation strengthening in the subsequent two-stage aging.As a result,the alloy showed a superior strength–ductility balance with a yield strength of 506 MPa,an ultimate tensile strength of 549 MPa and an elongation of 8.2% at room temperature.The finer and denser β' precipitates significantly enhanced the strength,and the bimodal structure,small β-Mg_5RE phase as well as dense γ' precipitates ensured the good ductility of the alloy.It is suggested that the combination of pre-deformation and two-stage aging treatment is an eff ective method to further improve the mechanical properties of wrought Mg alloys.     

Evolution of Microstructure,Residual Stress,and Tensile Properties of Mg–Zn–Y–La–Zr Magnesium Alloy Processed by Extrusion

The microstructure, texture, residual stress, and tensile properties of Mg–6 Zn–2 Y–1 La–0.5 Zr(wt%) magnesium alloy were investigated before and after extrusion process, which performed at 300 °C and 400 °C. The microstructural characterizations indicated that the as-cast alloy was comprised of α-Mg, Mg–Zn, Mg–Zn–La, and Mg–Zn–Y phases. During homogenization at 400 °C for 24 h, most of the secondary phases exhibited partial dissolution. Extrusion process led to a remarkable grain refi nement due to dynamic recrystallization(DRX). The degree of DRX and the DRXed grain size increased with increasing extrusion temperature. The homogenized alloy did not show a preferential crystallographic orientation, whereas the extruded alloys showed strong basal texture. The extrusion process led to a signifi cant improvement on the compressive residual stress and mechanical properties. The alloy extruded at 300 °C exhibited the highest basal texture intensity, the compressive residual stress and hardness, and yield and tensile strengths among the studied alloys.     

A High-Ductility Mg–Zn–Ca Magnesium Alloy

A new kind of Mg–2 Zn–0.6 Ca(wt%) alloy was fabricated by casting and hot extrusion as a high-ductility structural material. The extruded alloy exhibits a superior elongation of ～30%, yield strength of 130 MPa and ultimate tensile strength of 280 MPa along the extrusion direction at room temperature. Microstructure, texture and tensile properties of the extruded alloy were investigated in details. The remarkable improvement of ductility is ascribed to the weakened basal texture, refined grains and a small number of second phase in the alloy.     

Microstructure,Mechanical Properties and Corrosion Behavior of Extruded Mg–Zn–Ag Alloys with Single-Phase Structure

Mg–Zn–Ag alloys have been extensively studied in recent years for potential biodegradable implants due to their unique mechanical properties,biodegradability and biocompatibility.In the present study,Mg–3Zn-x Ag(wt%,x=0.2,0.5 and0.8)alloys with single-phase crystal structure were prepared by backward extrusion at 340°C.The addition of Ag element into Mg–3Zn slightly influences the ultimate tensile strength and microstructure,but the elongation firstly increases from12%to 19.8%and then decreases from 19.8%to 9.9%with the increment of Ag concentration.The tensile yield strength,ultimate tensile strength and elongation of Mg–3Zn–0.2Ag alloy reach up to 142,234 MPa and 19.8%,respectively,which are the best mechanical performance of Mg–Zn–Ag alloys in the present work.The extruded Mg–3Zn–0.2Ag alloy also possesses the best corrosion behavior with the corresponding corrosion rate of 3.2 mm/year in immersion test,which could be explained by the single-phase and uniformly distributed grain structure,and the fewer twinning.     

Microstructure,mechanical properties,and corrosion resistance of Mg–9Li–3Al–1.6Y alloy

Mg–9Li–3Al–1.6Y alloys were prepared through mixture method. The microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion resistance of the as-cast and asextruded alloys were studied by optical microscopy(OM),scanning electronic microscopy(SEM), X-ray diffraction(XRD), mechanical properties testing, and electrochemical measurement. The as-cast Mg–9Li–3Al–1.6Y alloy with the average grain size of 325 lm is composed of b-Li matrix, block a-Mg, and granule Al_2Y phases. After extrusion, the grain size of the as-cast alloy is obviously refined and reaches to 75 lm; the strength and elongation of the extruded alloy are enhanced by 17.20 % and49.45 %, respectively, owing to their fine microstructure and reduction of casting defects. The as-extruded alloy shows better corrosion resistance compared to the as-cast one, which may be related to the low stored energy and dislocation density in the extruded alloy, also the homogenization treatment before extrusion.     

Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Mg–xAl–1Sn–0.3Mn( x = 1, 3, 5) Alloy Sheets

The influence of Al alloying on the microstructures and the mechanical properties of Mg–x Al–1 Sn–0.3 Mn alloy sheets was investigated. The microstructure of Mg– x Al–1 Sn–0.3 Mn consisted of α-Mg and Mg 17 Al 12 precipitates. Alloying with Al increased the amount of Mg_(17)Al_(12) and the average grain size. Uniaxial tensile tests were carried out along the extrusion direction(ED), the transverse direction(TD) and 45° toward the ED. Mg–5 Al–1 Sn–0.3 Mn alloy sheet exhibited the best combination of mechanical properties along the ED: a yield strength of 142 MPa, an ultimate tensile strength of 282 MPa and an elongation of 23%. The good performance of Mg–5 Al–1 Sn–0.3 Mn sheet was mainly attributed to the large quantity of Mg_(17)Al_(12) precipitates and a weak basal texture. Annealing caused static dynamic recrystallization, refined the grain size and enhanced the mechanical properties: yield strength of 186 MPa, ultimate tensile strength of 304 MPa, elongation of 21% along ED. Both strength and ductility were enhanced by Al alloying.     

Enhanced Electromagnetic Interference Shielding of Mg–Zn–Zr Alloy by Ce Addition

The effects of Ce addition on microstructure and electromagnetic interference(EMI) shielding response of Mg–6Zn–0.5Zr(ZK60) alloy have been investigated.Ce addition resulted in grain refinement and higher density of Mg–Zn–Ce and Mg Zn2 intermetallic particles in the alloy.In particular,this was substantially remarkable as the addition of Ce was up to 1.0 wt%.It is interesting to note that as-extruded ZK60 alloy with 1.0 wt% Ce addition exhibited an EMI shielding effectiveness(SE) exceeding 70 d B at the frequency range of 30–1,500 MHz,which was significantly higher than that of ZK60 alloy without Ce addition and reached the requirement of high protection.The superior SE was probably related to the increased reflection and multiple reflection of electromagnetic radiation induced by Ce addition.Direct artificial aging at 150 °C for 25 or 50 h led to a further increase of 7–10 d B in the SE of the alloy with 1.0 wt% Ce addition.The advantages of excellent shielding capacity and favorable mechanical strength make the Mg–Zn–Zr–Ce alloy an attractive shielding candidate material for a variety of technological applications.     

Spheroidizing Behavior and Spheroidizing Kinetics of W-phase During Solid-Solution Treatment in Mg–Zn–Y–Mn–(B) Alloys

The spheroidizing mechanism of W-phase in the Mg–Zn–Y–Mn–(B) alloys during solid-solution treatment was investigated by using kinetic methodologies. The microstructure and mechanical properties of heat-treated Mg_(94)Zn_(2.5)-Y_(2.5)Mn_1 alloy containing 0.003 wt% B were compared with heat-treated Mg_(94)Zn_(2.5)-Y_(2.5)Mn_1 alloy. The heat-treated Mg_(94)Zn_(2.5)-Y_(2.5)Mn_1 alloy with 0.003 wt% B contained fine and uniform W-phase particles, which exhibited optimal mechanical performance. The ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and elongation were 287.7, 125.5 MPa and 21.1%,respectively.     

Microstructures and mechanical properties of homogenization and isothermal aging Mg–Gd–Er–Zn–Zr alloy

The effects of homogenization and isothermal aging treatment on the mechanical properties of Mg–12Gd–2Er–1Zn–0.6Zr(wt%) alloy were investigated. The precipitated long-period stacking order(LPSO) structure and the aging precipitation sequence of the conditioned alloys were observed and analyzed, respectively. The results indicate that the 14H-LPSO structure occurs after the homogenization treatment and the b0 phase forms after the isothermal aging process. These two independent processes could be controlled by the precipitation temperature range. The significant increase in the elongation of the as-cast alloy after homogenization treatment is attributed to the disappearance of the coarse primary Mg5(Gd, Er, Zn) phase and the presence of the 14H-LPSO structure. The precipitation sequence of the investigated alloy is a-Mg(SSS)/b00(D019)/b0(cbco)/b.Furthermore, the yield tensile strength(YTS) and ultimate tensile strength(UTS) values of the isothermal aging alloy have a great improvement, which could be attributed to the high density of the precipitated b0 phase.     

Enhanced Strength and Corrosion Resistance of Mg–2Zn–0.6Zr Alloy with Extrusion

The microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of Mg–2 Zn–0.6 Zr alloy under the as-cast and asextruded conditions were investigated. Microstructure analysis indicated the remarkable grain refinement by extrusion, as well as notable reductions in volume fraction and size of precipitate phases. As compared with the as-cast alloy, the asextruded alloy exhibited better mechanical performance, especially in yield strength which was promoted from 51 to 194 MPa. Refined grains, dispersive precipitate phases and texture were thought to be the main factors affecting the improved performance in strength. The electrochemical measurement and immersion test revealed the corrosion rate of Mg–2 Zn–0.6 Zr alloy by extrusion decreased from 1.68 to 0.32 mm/year. The reasons for the enhanced corrosion resistance were mainly attributed to the decreased volume fraction and Volta potential of the precipitate phases, the refinement of the grain size, as well as the formation of more protective corrosion film.     

Microstructures and Properties of Reciprocatingly Extruded Mg-6.4Zn-1.1Y Alloys

An icosahedral Mg3 YZn6 quasicrystalline phase can be produced in Mg-Zn- Y system alloys when a proper amount of Zn and Y is contained, and it is feasible to prepare the quasicrystal phase-reinforced low-density magnesium alloy. In this article, phase constituents and the effect of reciprocating extrusion on microstructures and properties of the as-cast Mg-6.4Zn-1.1 Y alloy are analyzed. The microstructure of the as-cast Mg-6.4Zn-1.1 Y alloy consists of the α-Mg solid solution, icosahedral Mg3YZn6 quasicrystal, and Mg3 Y2Zn3 and MgZn2 compounds. After the alloy was reciprocatingly extruded for four passes, grains were refined, Mg3 Y2 Zn3 and MgZn2 phases dissolved into the matrix, whereas, Mg3 YZn6 precipitated and distributed uniformly. The alloy possesses the best performance at this state; the tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation are 323.4 MPa, 258.2 MPa, and 19.7%, respectively. In comparison with that of the as-cast alloy, the tensile strength, yield strength, and elongation of the reciprocatingly extruded alloy increase by 258.3%, 397.5%, and 18 times, respectively. It is concluded that reciprocating extrusion can substantially improve the properties of the as-cast Mg-6.4Zn-1.1 Y alloy, particularly for elongation. The high performance of the Mg-6.4Zn-1.1 Y alloy after reciprocating extrusion can be attributed to dispersion strengthening and grain-refined microstructures.     

Microstructure,Mechanical Properties and Fracture Behavior of As-Extruded Zn-Mg Binary Alloys

In the present work, Zn-(0-1)Mg(wt%) alloys were prepared by casting and indirect extrusion at 200 and300 ℃, respectively. With Mg addition, both the size and amount of second phase Mg_2Zn_(11) increased, and the equiaxed grains were significantly refined. The extrusion temperature had little influence on Mg_2Zn_(11), but the grains were refined at low extrusion temperature. For the alloys extruded at 200 ℃, as Mg content increased, the tensile yield strength(TYS)increased from 64 MPa for pure Zn to 262 MPa for Zn-1Mg; the elongation increased from 14.3% for pure Zn to 25% for Zn-0.02Mg and then decreased to 5% for Zn-1Mg. For the alloys extruded at 300 ℃, as Mg content increased, the TYS increased from 67 MPa for pure Zn to 252 MPa for Zn-1Mg, while the elongation decreased from 11.7% to 2%. The alloy extruded at 200 ℃ exhibited higher TYS and elongation than the corresponding alloy extruded at 300 ℃. The combination of grain refinement and second phase Mg_2Zn_(11) contributed to the improvement in the TYS, and the grain refinement played a major role in strengthening alloy. Zn-0.02Mg and Zn-0.05Mg alloys extruded at 200 ℃ show a mixture of cleavage and ductile fracture corresponding to higher elongation, while the other alloys show cleavage fracture.     

Effect of Extrusion Temperature on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Mg–5Al–2Ca Alloy

In this work, the Mg–5Al–2Ca alloy was extruded at 573, 623 and 673 K, with a ratio of 16:1 and a constant speed of 3 mm/s. Results demonstrate that the Al2Ca particle is formed in Mg–5Al–2Ca alloy. The size, amount and distribution of Al2Ca particles are influenced evidently by extrusion temperature. Unlike previous reports, the intensity of basal texture increases with increasing extrusion temperature, and the reasons are analyzed and given. Even though the average grain size increases as the extrusion temperature increased from 573 to 623 K, the YS, UTS and elongation of asextruded Mg–5Al–2Ca alloy are almost kept the same at 573 and 623 K. The reason is speculated as the balance of grain size, Al2Ca phase and texture at the two temperatures. The work hardening rate depends on extrusion temperature, and the largest θ value of Mg–5Al–2Ca alloy is obtained when the extrusion was performed at 623 K.     

Effect of Solution Treatment on Microstructure and Corrosion Properties of Mg–4Gd–1Y–1Zn–0.5Ca–1Zr Alloy

The as-cast multi-element Mg–4Gd–1Y–1Zn–0.5Ca–1Zr alloy with low rare earth additions was prepared, and the solution treatment was applied at different temperatures. The microstructural evolution of the alloy was characterized by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and corrosion properties of the alloy in 3.5% NaCl solution were evaluated by immersion and electrochemical tests. The results indicate that the as-cast alloy is composed of the a-Mg matrix,lamellar long-period stacking-ordered(LPSO) structure and eutectic phase. The LPSO structure exists with more volume fraction in the alloy solution-treated at 440 °C, but disappears with the increase in the solution temperature. For all the solution-treated alloys, the precipitated phases are detected. The corrosion rates of the alloys decrease first and then increase slightly with the increase in the solution temperature, and the corrosion resistance of the solution-treated alloys is more than four times as good as that of the as-cast alloy. In addition, the alloy solution-treated at 480 °C for 6 h shows the best corrosion property.     

Tensile properties of hot rolled Mg_(97)Zn_1Y_2 alloy sheets at elevated temperatures

The elevated temperature tensile properties of Mg97Zn1Y2 magnesium alloy sheets, hot rolled at 390, 420 and 450 ℃ respectively, were tested in a temperature range from room temperature to 250 ℃ with a strain rate of 1.0×10-3 s-1. The results show that the variations in yield strength for Mg97Zn1Y2 magnesium alloy sheets hot rolled at 390 ℃ and 420 ℃ with temperature resemble each other due to their similar morphology of the chain-shaped strengthening phase. The yield strength maintains at a high level of 283 MPa before 200 ℃ and decreases significantly at 250 ℃. Despite of the fine lamellar structure of Mg97Zn1Y2 magnesium alloy sheet hot rolled at 450 ℃, its yield strength decreases linearly owing to occurrence of the coarse grain, and drops to 239 MPa at 250 ℃. The elongation for all hot rolled Mg97Zn1Y2 magnesium alloy sheets increases slightly with increasing testing temperature.     

Microstructure and mechanical properties of extruded Mg-6.5Gd-1.3Nd-0.7Y-0.3Zn alloy

The Mg-6.5Gd-1.3Nd-0.7Y-0.3Zn alloy ingot and sheet were prepared by casting and hot extrusion techniques,and the microstructure,age hardening behavior and mechanical properties were investigated.The results show that the as-cast alloy mainly containsα-Mg solid solution and compounds of Mg5RE and Mg24RE5(RE=Gd,Y and Nd)phases.The grain size is refined after hot extrusion,and the Mg5RE and Mg24RE5 compounds are broken during the extrusion process.The extruded alloy exhibits remarkable age hardening response and excellent mechanical properties in the peak-aging state.The ultimate tensile strength,yield strength and elongation are 310 MPa,201 MPa and 5.8%at room temperature,and 173 MPa,133 MPa and 25.0%at 300℃,respectively.     

Influence of Initial Microstructure on the Strengthening Effect of Extruded Mg–8Sn–4Zn–2Al Alloys

The Mg–8Sn–4Zn–2Al(TZA842, in wt%) alloys with different initial microstructure(as-cast-AC and homogenization treatment-HT) subjected to hot extrusion. Also, the strengthening responses to AC and HT for the extruded TZA842 alloys were reported. The results revealed that the alloy subjected to HT shows finer grain size, more homogenous microstructure and weaker basal texture than those of counterpart subjected to AC. In addition, compared with TZA842-AC alloy, precipitates were finer and uniformly dispersed in TZA842-HT owing to the utilization of HT. Moreover, the TZA842-HT alloy showed higher yield strength of 200 MPa, ultimate tensile strength of 290 MPa and elongation(EL) of17.9% than those of TZA842-AC, which was mainly attributed to the combined effects of grain boundary strengthening,precipitation strengthening, solid solution strengthening and weak texture. Strengthening mechanism for both alloys was discussed in detail.     

A High-Strength and Biodegradable Zn–Mg Alloy with Refined Ternary Eutectic Structure Processed by ECAP

In this study, the microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion behaviors of a Zn–1.6 Mg(wt%) alloy during multipass rotary die equal channel angle pressing(RD-ECAP) processing at 150 °C were systematically investigated. The results indicated that a Zn + Mg_2 Zn_(11) + MgZn_2 ternary eutectic structure was formed in as-cast Zn–Mg alloy. After ECAP, the primary Zn matrix turned to fine dynamic recrystallization(DRX) grains, and the network-shaped eutectic structure was crushed into fine particles and blended with DRX grains. Owing to the refined microstructure, dispersed eutectic structure and dynamically precipitated precipitates, the 8 p-ECAP alloy possessed the optimal mechanical properties with ultimate tensile strength of 474 MPa and elongation of 7%. Moreover, the electrochemical results showed that the ECAP alloys exhibited similar corrosion rates with that of as-cast alloys in simulated body fluid, which suggests that a high-strength Zn–Mg alloy was successfully developed without sacrifice of the corrosion resistance.