Influence of rolling temperature on static recrystallization behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloy

Poor formability of rolled magnesium (Mg) alloys extremely restricts applications in form of sheets originating from formation of strong basal texture. Recently, we found that increasing rolling temperature from 723 to 798 K for a AZ31 Mg alloy can significantly improve stretch formability due to remarkable texture weakening after annealing. In this study, static recrystallization behaviors of AZ31 alloy sheets rolled at 723 and 798 K were investigated by electron backscattered diffraction analyses at different annealing stages in order to understand the origin of high temperature rolling on texture weakening. For both sheets, similar deformation microstructures with approximately the same types and fractions of twins exist in the as-rolled condition and recrystallized grains are mainly formed at pre-existing grain boundaries due to discontinuous recrystallization during subsequent annealing. However, only the basal texture of the latter remarkably weakens due to the formation of new recrystallized grains with well-dispersed orientations. Non-basal slips enhanced during high temperature rolling at 798 K are most likely responsible for the texture randomization as a result of rotations of recrystallization nuclei.     

Texture modification and mechanical properties of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet subjected to equal channel angular bending

Analysis of the recently proposed equal channel angular bending(ECAB)process is provided on thin hotrolled AZ31 magnesium alloy sheets.In particular,effects of deformation temperature and strain path on the texture evolution and mechanical properties are systematically investigated under single pass ECAB at various temperatures and multi-pass ECAB process that involves changes in strain paths.It is found that simultaneous activation of multiple twinning types is successfully introduced during ECAB,which results in obvious tilted component of basal texture.Attributed to the domination of extension twins,weaker basal textures are detected after both single pass ECAB at 150℃and three cross passes ECAB at 200℃.After annealing,the basal texture is further weakened via twin-related recrystallization and the annealed microstructure is featured with mixture of basal and non-basal orientated grains.Additionally,the effect of grain orientation on the mode of plastic deformation and the roles of grain orientation and grain boundary on the local strain accommodation are coherently studied.This study reveals that over 60%increase of uniform elongation with marginal reduction of tensile strength less than 5%can be achieved for single pass ECAB at 150℃and three cross passes ECAB at 200℃,which is the result of larger fraction of grains favored with extension twinning and better local strain accommodation.     

Drawability of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet produced by equal channel angular rolling at room temperature

The objective of this study is to investigate the possibility of improved drawability of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet produced by equal channel angular rolling process at room temperature. Although with similar optical microstructure, the limiting drawing ratio of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet is improved from 1.2 to 1.6 for the specimens before and after equal channel angular rolling, which is due to the changing crystal orientation that induces shear deformation through this process. The enhanced drawability in AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet provides the possibility for drawing at ambient temperature by controlling the crystal orientation in AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet.     

Dynamic recrystallization behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloy processed by alternate forward extrusion

One of the important factors that affect the microstructure and properties of extruded products is recrystallization behavior. Alternate forward extrusion (AFE) is a new type of metal extrusion process with strong potential. In this paper, we carried out the AFE process experiments of as-cast AZ31 magnesium alloy and obtained extrusion bar whose microstructure and deformation mechanism were analyzed by means of optical microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The experimental results indicated that homogeneous fine-grained structure with mean grain size of 3.91 μm was obtained after AFE at 573 K. The dominant reason of grain refinement was considered the dynamic recrystallization (DRX) induced by strain localization and shear plastic deformation. In the 573-673 K range, the yield strength, tensile strength and elongation of the composite mechanical properties are reduced accordingly with the increase of the forming temperature. Shown as in relevant statistics, the proportion of the large-angle grain boundaries decreased significantly. The above results provide an important scientific basis of the scheme formulation and active control on microstructure and property for AZ31 magnesium alloy AFE process.     

Texture effect on microyielding of wrought magnesium alloy AZ31

Uniaxial tension tests and elastoplastic self-consistent (EPSC) simulations were conducted to study the effect of texture on the microyielding of highly textured AZ31 plate. The onset of microyielding is always associated with the activation of basal 〈a〉 slip irrespective of starting texture, while the value of the microyield stress does depend on the texture. The macroscopic yield stress is largely affected by the critical resolved shear stress of the deformation mode with the highest Schmid factor. An inverse relation is found between the microyield strength normalized by the macroscopic yield strength and the average Schmid factor of prism 〈a〉 slip, which is useful for a rough estimate of the microyield strength.     

AZ31薄板热拉深工艺研究

为提高AZ31薄板热拉深质量、确定热拉深过程的合理工艺参数,选取不同的成形温度、模具间隙及凸模圆角半径,拉深成形了AZ31试样,采用KH-2200MD金相显微镜观察其内部组织变化,并通过x-ray衍射实验分析晶面取向的变化.实验结果表明,0.8mm的AZ31B镁合金板料在240℃附近的成形性能最好,拉深后材料组织晶粒大小均匀,晶面取向分布均匀.热拉深AZ31B镁合金板料应将凸、凹模间隙选为1.1倍的板料厚度.在压边力不变的条件下,随着凸模圆角半径的减小,拉深高度降低加快,并且起皱现象加重.     

Rotation friction pressing riveting of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet

A kind of joining method for magnesium alloys, rotation friction pressing riveting (RFPR), is proposed in this paper. In RFPR operation, a rivet with a plug rotating at high speed is brought to contact with the riveted sheets, generating frictional heat between the rivet and riveted sheets, which softens the sheet materials and enables the rivet to be drilled into the sheets under reduced force. When fully inserted, the rivet is stopped rotating, and the plug is immediately pressed into the shank of the rivet by a punch. The expansive deformation of the rivet shank occurs under the action of the plug, thereby forming a mechanical interlock between the rivet and the sheets to fasten the sheets together. The studies show that RFPR of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet can be carried out at ambient temperature, and provides the joints with superior shear strength and fatigue property when compared with self-piercing riveting (SPR). The effects of the operating parameters of RFPR process on the quality of the joints were investigated in the study. The results shows that while the rivet rotation speed little affects the shear strength of RFPR joints, the punch pressure has a significant influence on the mechanical properties of the RFPR joints. A numerical analysis was also performed to understand the effect of the punch pressure on the interlock between the rivet and the sheets, and the stress and strain distribution inside the sheet materials around the rivet. The results show that the interlock increased with the punch pressure and there is residual compressive stress inside the sheet materials, which seems to explain the good fatigue property of RFPR joints observed.     

Texture and microstructure evolution in cold rolled AZ31 magnesium alloy

Microstructure and texture evolution of an AZ31 magnesium alloy during cold roll was investigated. Shear bands formed and fine recrystallized grains appeared in the shear bands at the reduction of 22% during cold roll process. Texture of hot-extruded AZ31 magnesium alloy can be expressed by (0002) texture, while those of cold roll sheet were characterized by (0002) texture with a double-peak distribution, showing that basal texture tilted about ± 10°away from the normal direction toward the rolling direction.     

Anisotropy of low temperature superplasticity of fine grained magnesium alloy AZ31 processed by multidirectional forging

Abstract

Effect of texture anisotropy of Mg alloy AZ31, processed by multidirectional forging, on low temperature superplasticity was studied in tension at 423 and 473 K. Multidirectional forging was carried out up to large cumulative strain of 4·8 with changing loading direction from pass to pass under decreasing temperature conditions. When the basal plane in initial texture is inclined at ～45° against tensile direction, rotation of basal plane towards tensile direction takes place accompanying with basal slip and grain coarsening or refinement, leading to the highest elongation to failure of 320%. This suggests that superplastic deformation can be controlled by grain boundary sliding accompanied with grain size changes taking place due to continuous dynamic recrystallisation.     

镁合金AZ31高温形变机制的织构分析

利用X射线衍射和背散射电子衍射方法测定了镁合金AZ3l高温动态再结晶和超塑形变时的宏观和微观织构,分析了晶粒内部的形变机制.结果表明,在动态再结晶和超塑形变过程中,晶粒内部的滑移机制仍起重要作用,表现为再结晶晶粒出现择优取向以及一些晶粒可充分均匀形变成长条状.宏观织构的测定表明,具有不同初始织构的两类样品高温动态再结晶时,新晶粒有不同的取向择优过程,形成相似的织构;长条形变晶粒内部开动的滑移系也有一定的差异.分析了不同温度下相同的织构对应的不同塑变机理取向成像分析表明,基面织构取向的晶粒间总伴随着较高比例的小角晶界和30°(0001)的取向关系,这是六方结构的六次对称性限制了动态再结晶时(亚)晶粒间取向差的有效增大的缘故.     

Texture and microstructure changes in asymmetrically hot rolled AZ31 magnesium alloy sheets

Asymmetrically hot rolled AZ31 magnesium alloy sheets exhibited a texture gradient, where the intensity of {0002} basal textures decreased from the upper surface through the center to the lower surface. After subsequent annealing, the intensity of {0002} components was reduced significantly throughout the thickness and the grains were refined possibly by discontinuous recrystallization.     

Quantitative analysis on friction stress of hot-extruded AZ31 magnesium alloy at room temperature

Mg alloy AZ31 with ～79% (volume fraction of scattering less than 30°) basal-fiber texture through hot extrusion exhibits strong grain-size dependent yield strength. Samples with grain sizes varying from 4.5 to 22.3 μm were obtained by altering annealing time durations. The Hall-Petch relations of tension and compression are σ_0.2 = 86+200d^?1/2 and σ_0.2 = 17 + 327d^?1/2, respectively. Considering the correlation between grain orientation and deformation modes, a novel weighted average method of calculating friction stress σ₀ was proposed, and results of calculation agreed with the experimental ones, which can reasonably understand the yielding behavior in tension and compression.     

Developing superplasticity in a magnesium AZ31 alloy by ECAP

The processing of a magnesium AZ31 alloy by equal-channel angular pressing refines the grain size to ~2.2 μm, but annealing for 30 min at 673 K coarsens the grains to ~6.0 μm. Despite this microstructural instability, the alloy is superplastic when pulled in tension at temperatures in the range of 623–723 K with elongations up to >1000% at strain rates at and below 10^?4 s^?1. Experiments within the superplastic regime show the strain rate sensitivity is ~0.5 and the activation energy is close to the value for grain boundary diffusion. It is demonstrated by calculation that the experimental results are in good agreement with a model for superplasticity based on grain boundary sliding.     

Evaluation of low cycle fatigue life in AZ31 magnesium alloy

Magnesium alloys are attracting engineers for their practical application to structural components. Here fatigue properties, which is essential for structural use, have been examined on extruded AZ31 bar under uniaxial cyclic loading by both strain and stress controlled conditions. Adding fatigue tests with mean stresses under stress controlling conditions, fatigue life evaluation method has been discussed along with the analysis of cyclic stress–strain behavior. The specimen is easy to yield in compression by twinning. This leads to the asymmetric hysteresis curves. It also tends to deform quasi-elastically during unloading from compression; this makes the plastic strain amplitude smaller to the maximum one in the hysteresis curve. These asymmetric features fairly disappear at half-life in the stress controlled tests. The fatigue lives and deformation characteristics can be expressed nicely by Manson–Coffin type equation. On the contrary, the strain controlled tests retain the asymmetry till the end and produce tensile mean stresses. The fatigue lives are unsuccessfully evaluated by the above equation. Various mean stress correction models for cubic metals are not operative in magnesium alloys. A new model has been devised adding a correction term of −σ_m/2E to the above mentioned Manson–Coffin type equation. Strain controlled test, as it retains pyriform shape till the end, could be evaluated more accurately with the maximum plastic strain amplitude in the hysteresis curve.     

Microstructure and formability of AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet under continuous pulse current

Utilising electropulsing treatment (EPT) to improve the formability of metals is of paramount importance for engineering applications. The effects of EPT on the microstructure and formability of AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet were investigated. The results indicated that the microstructure and mechanical properties were slightly improved with the increase of current density, while the formability was promoted distinctly. Besides, the formability of the specimen after EPT was better than that of the specimen annealed at the same temperature, which indicated that pulse current can effectively increase the formability of the sheet. Further studies confirmed that the athermal effect caused by the pulse current made great contribution to the dislocation mobility and improved the formability of the sheet.     

AZ31镁合金室温异步轧制的织构演变

采用异步轧制技术研究了轧制工艺对AZ31镁合金塑性变形和微取向流变行为的影响.结果表明:将AZ31镁合金板材在室温条件下进行单道次异步轧制,织构随着速比增加,与快、慢辊侧相接触的表面层明显不同,但中间区域变化不明显.在快速辊侧,主要织构组份随着速比的增加而迅速增加;在慢速辊侧,主要织构组份随着速比的增加而交替变化.形变量的增大,可以细化晶粒和改善力学性能.     

Time-dependent uniaxial behavior of rolled magnesium alloy AZ31B at 393 K and room temperature

To address the time-dependent properties of rolled AZ31B alloy, we conducted typical tests of the rate jump, creep, and stress relaxation at room temperature and 393 K. In the rate jump tests, the tensile curve exhibited a strong dependence on the strain rate, whereas compression was totally insensitive to the stress rate at both temperatures. For the creep and stress relaxation test, we observed creep strain and decay stress in the compression, which was weaker than the tensile curve. The plastic viscosity increased at 393 K because the dislocation motion was thermally activated. We then applied thermal activation theory for the repeated stress relaxation tests. The activation volume implies that cross-slip and dislocation nucleation are the operating mechanisms for creep and stress relaxation.

     

Formability and numerical simulation of AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet in warm stamping process

The potential process for mass production of magnesium alloy components in vehicles—warm stamping process was investigated systematically in the present study. For analyzing the forming process, an accurate numerical model describing the unique characteristics of magnesium alloy sheets under warm forming is very essential. Aiming at this, hardening/softening model for 1.5 mm thickness AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet were firstly constructed based on uniaxial tensile tests. Secondly, semispherical drawing was carried out under the selected temperature to generate experimental forming limit curve (FLC) for AZ31B sheet. Then, friction coefficient was identified using a high-temperature tribo-tester. Finally, numerical simulation was implemented and formability of AZ31B sheet warm forming was verified with experiment. The result shows that the formability, thickness distribution and equivalent strain distribution in simulation agreed well with the actual specimens, which thus provided a good data base for describing the unique characteristics of magnesium alloy sheets under warm forming.     

Enhanced superplasticity of magnesium alloy AZ31 obtained through equal-channel angular pressing with back-pressure

Excellent superplastic elongations (in excess of 1,200%) were achieved in a commercial cast AZ31 alloy processed by low temperature equal-channel angular pressing (ECAP) with a back-pressure to produce a bimodal grain structure. In contrast, AZ31 alloy processed by ECAP at temperatures higher than 200 °C showed a reasonably uniform grain structure and relatively low ductility. It is suggested that a bimodal grain structure is advantageous because the larger grains contribute to strain hardening thus delaying the onset of necking, while grain boundary sliding associated with small grains provides a stabilizing effect due to enhanced strain rate sensitivity.     

加工方式对AZ31变形镁合金热拉伸流变应力的影响

针对不同方法制备的AZ31镁合金薄板,利用热拉伸试验机和金相显微镜对其在不同温度和变形速率下的流变应力进行了实验研究.结果表明:挤压、交叉、热轧和冷轧等方法制备的AZ31镁合金薄板的应力-应变曲线基本特征是相同的.峰值流变应力随变形温度的升高和应变速率的降低而降低,在低温时具有明显的厚度效应;当温度大于350℃时峰值流变应力几乎不随板材厚度变化而变化;应变速率小于1.0×10-2s-1,变形温度大于150℃下所有AZ31薄板的延伸率均δ≥45%;单向轧制薄板的各向异性随温度提高减小.