Microstructures and strengthening mechanisms of Mg-8.2Gd-4.6Y-1.5Zn-0.4Zr alloy containing LPSO,β' and γ type phases

The microstructures and strengthening mechanisms of the Mg-8.2 Gd-4.6 Y-1.5 Zn-0.4 Zr(wt%) alloy with long-period stacking ordered(LPSO),β' and γ type phases were systematically studied.The results show that the LPSO with lamellar and block structures forms near the grain boundaries.The grains are clearly refined,and the 18 R LPSO phase is oriented along the extrusion direction after extrusion.Some particles also precipitate from the Mg matrix dynamically.The extruded alloy exhibits a remarkable agehardening response,and mechanical properties,with a tensile strength(TS) of 449 MPa,yield strength(YS) of 362 MPa,and elongation of 7.9% obtained in the peak-aged alloy.The strengthening mechanisms of the alloy in different states are discussed.Grain boundary and precipitation strengthening are the main strengthening mechanisms for the peak-aged alloy.     

Understanding the High Strength and Good Ductility in LPSO-Containing Mg Alloy Using Synchrotron X-ray Diffraction

Mg alloys containing long-period stacking-ordered (LPSO) phases often display excellent mechanical properties. The underlying mechanism is yet unclear. In this work, in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction was employed to study tensile deformation of a Mg₉₇Y₂Zn alloy that contains 18R-type LPSO phase. From lattice strain measurement, it is found that the LPSO phase has a similar elastic modulus as Mg. After material yielding, lattice strain in the Mg phase decreased, while lattice strain in the LPSO phase increased further. By analyzing the lattice strain evolution of different Mg peaks, basal slip and deformation twinning are identified as the dominant deformation mechanisms. This finding is further confirmed by surface slip trace analysis using electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD). Additional analysis of diffraction peak broadening indicates a continuous increase of dislocation density during plastic deformation. Based on the above results, it can be concluded that the interdendritic LPSO phase behaves like a reinforcing phase that directly strengthens the material. The high tensile ductility of the material is attributed to the weak extrusion texture caused by the presence of interdendritic LPSO. In addition, small LPSO plates inside the Mg phase can serve as dislocation nucleation sites, which leads to a high work hardening rate in the material.     

Effect of strontium on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloy

The effect of strontium (Sr) on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and fracture behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloy and its sensitivity to cooling rate are investigated. Three phases—blocky-shaped Mg₁₇Al₁₂, acicular Mg₂₀Al₂₀Mn₅Sr, and insular Mg₁₆(Al,Zn)₂Sr—are identified in the Sr-containing AZ31 alloys. With increasing cooling rate, the blocky-shaped Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phase increases, the acicular Mg₂₀Al₂₀Mn₅Sr phase diminishes, and the insular Mg₁₆(Al,Zn)₂Sr phase is refined and granulated. The study suggests that the grain size decreases with increasing cooling rate for a given composition. However, the grain size decreases first, then increases, and finally decreases again with increasing Sr for a given cooling rate. The yield strength (σ _y ) of AZ31 magnesium alloy can be improved by grain refinement and expressed as σ _y =35.88+279.13d ^−1/2 according to the Hall-Petch relationship. The elongation increases when Sr is added up to 0.01 pct and then decreases with increasing Sr addition. Grain refinement changes the fracture behavior from quasicleavage failure for the original AZ31 alloy to mixed features of quasicleavage and microvoid coalescence fracture.     

Characterization of microstructure in high strength Mg_（96）Y_3Zn_1 alloy processed by extrusion and equal channel angular pressing

The Mg96Y3Zn1 alloy processed by extrusion and equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) was investigated. It was found that the Mg96Y3Zn1 alloy processed by extrusion and ECAP obtained ultrafine grains and exhibited excellent mechanical properties. After ECAP, the average grain size of Mg96Y3Zn1 alloy was refined to about 400 nm. The highest strengths with yield strength of 381.45 MPa and ultimate tensile strength of 438.33 MPa were obtained after 2 passes at 623 K. The high strength of Mg96Y3Zn1 alloy was due to the strengthening by the grain refinement, the long period stacking (LPS) structure, solid solution, fine Mg24Y5 particles, and nano-scale precipitates. It was found that the elongation was decreased with pass number increasing. It was because that the cracks were preferentially initiated and propagated in the interior of X-phase during the tensile test.     

Tensile and Fracture Properties of Cast and Forged Composite Synthesized by Addition of Al-Si Alloy to Magnesium

Cast Mg-Al-Si composites synthesized by addition of Al-Si alloy containing 10, 15, and 20 wt pct of Si, in molten magnesium, to generate particles of Mg₂Si by reaction between silicon and magnesium during stir casting has opened up the possibility to control the size of these particles. The microstructure of the cast composite consists of relatively dark polyhedral phase of Mg₂Si and bright phase of β-Al₁₂Mg₁₇ along the boundary between dendrites of α-Mg solid solution. After hot forging at 350 °C, the microstructure has changed to relatively smaller sizes of β-Al₁₂Mg₁₇ and Mg₂Si particles apart from larger grains surrounded by smaller grains due to dynamic recovery and recrystallization. Some of the Mg₂Si particles crack during forging. In both the cast and forged composite, the Brinell hardness increases rapidly with increasing volume fraction of Mg₂Si, but the hardness is higher in forged composites by about 100 BHN. Yield strength in cast composites improves over that of the cast alloy, but there is a marginal increase in yield strength with increasing Mg₂Si content. In forged composites, there is significant improvement in yield strength with increasing Mg₂Si particles and also over those observed in their cast counterpart. In cast composites, ultimate tensile strength (UTS) decreases with increasing Mg₂Si content possibly due to increased casting defects such as porosity and segregation, which increases with increasing Mg₂Si content and may counteract the strengthening effect of Mg₂Si content. However, in forged composite, UTS increases with increasing Mg₂Si content until 5.25 vol pct due to elimination of segregation and lowering of porosity, but at higher Mg₂Si content of 7 vol pct, UTS decreases, possibly due to extensive cracking of Mg₂Si particles. On forging, the ductility decreases in forged alloy and composites possibly due to the remaining strain and the forged microstructure. The initiation fracture toughness, J _IC , decreases drastically in cast composites from that of Mg-9 wt pct. alloy designated as MA alloy due to the presence Mg₂Si particles. Thereafter, J _IC does not appear to be very sensitive to the increasing presence of Mg₂Si particles. There is drastic reduction of J _IC on forging of the alloy, which was attributed to the remaining strain and forged microstructure, and it is further lowered in the composites because of cracking of Mg₂Si particles. The ratio of the tearing modulus to the elastic modulus in cast composites shows a lower ratio, which decreases with increasing Mg₂Si content. The ratio decreases comparatively more on forging of cast MA alloy than those observed in forged composites.     

Microstructural Evolution of Long-Period Stacking Ordered Structures in Mg97Y2Zn1 Alloys Examined by In-Situ Small-Angle X-ray Scattering

Development and stability of synchronized long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) structures in Mg₉₇Y₂Zn₁ alloy were examined by synchrotron-radiation small- and wide-angle scattering/diffraction measurements. The main LPSO structure in the as-cast polycrystalline ingot was 18R, and 14H structure grew at the cost of 18R during annealing. The in-plane peak position increased for longer annealing times in isothermal annealing and also at higher temperatures during in situ heating measurements, and it was interpreted by a composition of peaks corresponding to several sites. The experimental instability temperatures obtained by in situ measurements for in-plane ordering, 18R, and 14H structures agreed within experimental resolution.     

Effect of Extrusion Temperature on the Plastic Deformation of an Mg-Y-Zn Alloy Containing LPSO Phase Using <Emphasis Type="Italic">In Situ</Emphasis> Neutron Diffraction

The evolution of the internal strains during in situ tension and compression tests has been measured in an MgY₂Zn₁ alloy containing long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase using neutron diffraction. The alloy was extruded at two different temperatures to study the influence of the microstructure and texture of the magnesium and the LPSO phases on the deformation mechanisms. The alloy extruded at 623 K (350 °C) exhibits a strong fiber texture with the basal plane parallel to the extrusion direction due to the presence of areas of coarse non-recrystallised grains. However, at 723 K (450 °C), the magnesium phase is fully recrystallised with grains randomly oriented. On the other hand, at the two extrusion temperatures, the LPSO phase orients their basal plane parallel to the extrusion direction. Yield stress is always slightly higher in compression than in tension. Independently on the stress sign and the extrusion temperature, the beginning of plasticity is controlled by the activation of the basal slip system in the dynamic recrystallized grains. Therefore, the elongated fiber-shaped LPSO phase which behaves as the reinforcement in a metal matrix composite is responsible for this tension–compression asymmetry.     

Influence of Extrusion on the Microstructure and Mechanical Behavior of Mg-9Li-3Al-xSr Alloys

Mg-9Li-3Al-xSr (LA93-xSr, x = 0, 1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 wt pct) alloys were cast and extruded at 533 K (260 °C) with an extrusion ratio of 28. The microstructure and mechanical response are reported and discussed paying particular attention to the influence of extrusion and Sr content on phase composition, strength, and ductility. The results of the current study show that LA93-xSr alloys contain both α-Mg (hcp) and β-Li (bcc) matrix phases. Moreover, the addition of Sr refines the grain size in the as-cast alloys and leads to the formation of the intermetallic compound (Al₄Sr). Our results show significant grain refinement during extrusion and almost no influence of Sr content on the grain size of the extruded alloys. The microstructure evolution during extrusion is governed by continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) in the α-Mg phase, whereas discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX) occurs in the β-Li phase. The mechanical behavior of the extruded LA93-xSr alloy is discussed in terms of grain refinement and dislocation strengthening. The tensile strength of the extruded alloys first increases and then decreases, whereas the elongation decreases monotonically with increasing Sr; in contrast, hardness increases for all Sr compositions studied herein. Specifically, when Sr content is 2.5 wt pct, the extruded Mg-9Li-3Al-2.5Sr (LAJ932) alloy exhibits a favorable combination of strength and ductility with an ultimate tensile strength of 235 MPa, yield strength of 221 MPa, and an elongation of 19.4 pct.     

Homogenization heat treatment of Mg-7.68Gd-4.88Y-1.32Nd-0.63Al-0.05Zr alloy

The microstructures and mechanical properties of the Mg-7.68Gd-4.88Y-1.32Nd-0.63A1-0.05Zr magnesium alloy were investigated both in the as-cast condition and after homogenization heat treatment from 535 to 555 ℃ in the time range 0-48 h by op- tical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and hardness measurement. The as-cast alloy consisted of ct-Mg matrix, Mgs（Y0.5Gd0.5） phase which is a eutectic phase, strip of Al2（Y0.6Gd0.4） phase, little A13Zr and Mg（Y3Gd） phase. With the increasing of homogenization temperature and time, the Mgs（Y0.5Gd0.5） phase was completely dissolved into the matrix. The Al2（Y0.6Gd0.4） phase was almost not dissolved which impeded grain boundaries motion making the grain size almost not changed in the process of ho- mogenization. The optimum homogenization condition was 545 ℃/16 h. The tensile strength increased, yield strength decreased and the plasticity improved obviously after 545 ℃/16 h homogenization treatment.     

Phase constitutions,growth pattern and mechanical properties of Mg-1.4Gd-1.2Y-xZn-0.15Zr(at%) alloys

The effects of minor Zn(0.2 at%,0.4 at%,0.6 at%) on the microstructures and mechanical properties of Mg-1.4 Gd-1.2 Y-0.15 Zr(at%) alloys were systematically explored.Results reveal that increasing Zn content leads to the increase of the intergranular phases and the change of their composition from Mg_24(Gd,Y)_5 phase and(Mg,Zn)_3(Gd,Y) phase to 18 R-LPSO phase and(Mg,Zn)_3(Gd,Y) phase.Mg_24(Gd,Y)_5 phase is body-centered cubic structure and shares the same lattice constant with Mg_24Y_5 while(Mg,Zn)_3(Gd,Y)phase is face-centered cubic structure with lattice constant of 0.72 nm,slightly lower than Mg_3Gd.18RLPSO structure is identified to be monoclinic with c-axis not strictly vertical to the bottom surface but93.5°.The growth patterns of intergranular phases change from the divorced growth to coupled growth as compositions change.Moreover,the mechanical performance improves with Zn rising,ascribed to the decrease of brittle phases at grain boundaries and the increase of LPSO structure phases.     

Combined hardening of alloy Ti-6Al sheet workpieces during reversible hydrogen alloying

The effect of the initial hydrogen concentration, warm rolling, and vacuum annealing conditions on the formation of the phase composition, structure, and mechanical properties of rolled sheet workpieces made of a Ti-6Al α alloy is studied. When the initial hydrogen concentration increases to C _Hⁱⁿⁱ = 0.3–0.9%, the grain size decreases and the phase composition of the alloy is complicated. In the grain size range 27–5 μm, the yield strength of the alloy obeys the Hall-Petch relation with the lattice friction stress σ _i = 662 MPa. When the initial hydrogen concentration increases, the grain-boundary hardening intensity and the yield strength increase. At an average α grain size of 5 μm, the yield strength increases from 770 MPa in the alloy with C _Hⁱⁿⁱ = 0.004% to 970 MPa in the alloy with C _Hⁱⁿⁱ = 0.7%. The maximum yield strength (σ_y = 1064 MPa) is obtained for the alloy with C _Hⁱⁿⁱ= 0.5% after vacuum annealing at 650°C. The conditions and contributions of solid-solution hardening, grain-boundary hardening, precipitation hardening induced by the formation of the α₂ phase, and strain hardening to the total hardening of the alloy are considered.     

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Extruded Magnesium-Aluminum-Cerium Alloy Tubes

Current commercial magnesium extrusion alloys do not offer desirable combinations of strength, ductility, and extrusion speed for automotive structural applications. The effect of small additions of cerium (Ce) to pure magnesium (Mg) and Mg-3 pct Al alloy extruded tubes has been studied. The results suggest that 0.2 pct Ce addition can significantly improve the extrudability and mechanical properties of the Mg extrusions. The improvement in mechanical properties is due to grain refinement and dispersion strengthening provided by the Mg₁₂Ce particles and the beneficial texture obtained. Higher Ce contents further increase strength, but significantly reduce ductility and cause excessive surface oxidation during extrusion. The beneficial effect of 0.2 pct Ce on mechanical properties of pure Mg is not observed when it is added to Mg-3 pct Al alloy, due to the higher affinity of Ce to Al to form the Al₁₁Ce₃ phase in the Mg-Al-Ce ternary alloys. The Mg-0.2 pct Ce alloy is a promising base alloy for further development in automotive applications; however, Al should be avoided in Mg-Ce–based extrusion alloys.     

Solidification Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cast Magnesium-Aluminum-Tin Alloys

The solidification microstructure and mechanical properties of as-cast Mg-Al-Sn alloys have been investigated using computational thermodynamics and experiments. The as-cast microstructure of Mg-Al-Sn alloys consists of α-Mg, Mg₁₇Al₁₂, and Mg₂Sn phases. The amount of Mg₁₇Al₁₂ and Mg₂Sn phases formed increases with increasing Al and Sn content and shows good agreement between the experimental results and the Scheil solidification calculations. Generally, the yield strength of as-cast alloys increases with Al and Sn content, whereas the ductility decreases. This study has confirmed an early development of Mg-7Al-2Sn alloy for structural applications and has led to a promising new Mg-7Al-5Sn alloy with significantly improved strength and ductility comparable with commercial AZ91 alloy.     

Effect of Sb on the microstructure and mechanical properties of AZ91 magnesium alloy

Effects of Sb addition on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and fracture behaviors of AZ91 magnesium alloy, as well as the sensitivity to section thickness of the structure and mechanical properties, have been studied. The results show that when Sb is added into the AZ91 alloy, the grain is refined, the Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phase is refined and granulated, and a new Mg₃Sb₂ phase is formed and becomes coarse needle-shaped as Sb content increases. The room-temperature tensile strength, elongation, and impact toughness increase first, and then decrease with increasing Sb content. The study on sensitivity to section thickness shows that, when composition is constant, the room-temperature tensile strength and elongation increase with the reduction of section thickness; when section thickness is constant, the room-temperature tensile strength and elongation increase first, and then decrease with increasing Sb content. Additionally, the Sb addition improves the tensile strength of the AZ91 alloy at 100 °C and 150 °C. The room-temperature tensile and impact fractographs of the AZ91 alloy show intergranular fracture. With increasing Sb content, the tearing deformation zones on the both fractographs enlarge at first, and then diminish, which is consistent with the change of tensile strength, elongation, and impact toughness increasing first, and then reducing with increasing Sb content.     

Effect of Sb on the microstructure and mechanical properties of AZ91 magnesium alloy

Effects of Sb addition on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and fracture behaviors of AZ91 magnesium alloy, as well as the sensitivity to section thickness of the structure and mechanical properties, have been studied. The results show that when Sb is added into the AZ91 alloy, the grain is refined, the Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phase is refined and granulated, and a new Mg₃Sb₂ phase is formed and becomes coarse needle-shaped as Sb content increases. The room-temperature tensile strength, elongation, and impact toughness increase first, and then decrease with increasing Sb content. The study on sensitivity to section thickness shows that, when composition is constant, the room-temperature tensile strength and elongation increase with the reduction of section thickness; when section thickness is constant, the room-temperature tensile strength and elongation increase first, and then decrease with increasing Sb content. Additionally, the Sb addition improves the tensile strength of the AZ91 alloy at 100°C and 150°C. The room-temperature tensile and impact fractographs of the AZ91 alloy show intergranular fracture. With increasing Sb content, the tearing deformation zones on the both fractographs enlarge at first, and then diminish, which is consistent with the change of tensile strength, elongation, and impact toughness increasing first, and then reducing with increasing Sb content.     

Effect of rare-earth element additions on high-temperature mechanical properties of AZ91 magnesium alloy

The present article focuses on the high-temperature mechanical properties of the magnesium alloy AZ91. The addition of rare-earth (RE) elements up to 2 wt pct improves both yield and tensile strengths at 140 °C by replacing the Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phase with RE-containing intermetallic compounds. This intermetallic phase is thermally and metallurgically stable and is expected to boost the grain-boundary strengthening. It also increases the resistance of grain boundaries to flow at high temperatures. Further increases of RE additions reduce strength and ductility due to growth of the Al₁₁RE₃ brittle phase, which has sharp edges. Still, at a 3 wt pct RE addition, the strength of the alloy at high temperatures is more than that of AZ91.     

Effect of Gd on microstructure,mechanical properties and wear behavior of as-cast Mg–5Sn alloy

Effect of minor Gd addition on the microstructure, mechanical properties and wear behavior of as-cast Mg–5Sn-based alloy was investigated by means of OM, XRD, SEM, EDS, a super depth-of-field 3D system, standard high-temperature tensile testing and dry sliding wear testing. Minor Gd addition has strong effect on changing the morphology of the Mg–5Sn binary alloy. Gd addition benefits the grain refinement of the primary α-Mg phase, as well as the formation and homogeneous distribution of the secondary Mg₂Sn phase. The mechanical properties of the Mg–5Sn alloys at ambient and elevated temperatures are significantly enhanced by Gd addition. The wear behavior of the Mg–5Sn alloy is also improved with minor Gd addition. The alloy with 0.8% Gd addition exhibits the best ultimate tensile strength and elongation as well as the optimal wear behavior. Additionally, the worn surface of the Mg–5Sn–Gd becomes smoother in higher Gd-containing alloys. The best wear behavior of alloy was exhibited when Gd addition was up to 0.8%, showing a much smoother worn surface than that of control sample. The improvement of tensile properties is mainly attributed to the refinement of microstructure and the increasing amount and uniform distribution of Mg₂Sn phase. The larger amount of Mg₂Sn phase uniformly distributed at the grain boundary of Mg–Sn–Gd alloys act as a lubrication during sliding, and combined with smaller grain size improve wear behavior of the binary alloy.     

High-Temperature Mechanical Behavior of Extruded Mg-Y-Zn Alloy Containing LPSO Phases

The high-temperature mechanical behavior of extruded Mg_97?3x Y_2x Zn _x (at. pct) alloys is evaluated from 473 K to 673 K (200 °C to 400 °C). The microstructure of the extruded alloys is characterized by Long Period Stacking Ordered structure (LPSO) elongated particles within the magnesium matrix. At low temperature and high strain rates, their creep behavior shows a high stress exponent (n = 11) and high activation energy. Alloys behave as a metal matrix composite where the magnesium matrix transfers part of its load to the LPSO phase. At high-temperature and/or low stresses, creep is controlled by nonbasal dislocation slip. At intermediate and high strain rates at 673 K (400 °C) and at intermediate strain rates between 623 K and 673 K (350 °C and 400 °C), the extruded alloys show superplastic deformation with elongations to failure higher than 200 pct. Cracking of coarse LPSO second-phase particles and their subsequent distribution in the magnesium matrix take place during superplastic deformation, preventing magnesium grain growth.