Enhanced mechanical properties of Mg-3Al-1Zn alloy sheets through slope extrusion

Abstract

A novel extrusion approach, entitled slope extrusion (SE), was employed to manufacture AZ31 (Mg-3Al-1Zn, wt%) alloy sheets. The microstructures, textures, and mechanical properties were investigated, compared with those of the AZ31 sheet fabricated by conventional extrusion (CE). Through the combination of finite element simulation and actual experiment, the ultimate results indicated that significant grain refinement (from 9.1 to 7.7 and 5.6 µm) and strong basal texture (from 12.6 to 17.6 and 19.5 mrd) were achieved by the SE process. The essence was associated with the additional introduced inclined interface in the process of SE, which could bring about more asymmetric deformation and stronger accumulated strain along the ND when compared with the process of CE. As a consequence, the SE sheets exhibited a higher yield strength (YS) and ultimate tensile strength (UTS) than the counterparts of the CE sheet, which was mainly assigned to the synergistic effects from grain refining and texture strengthening.

Keywords

AZ31 Mg alloy sheets / slope extrusion / microstructure / texture / strength

References

[1] Song JF, She J, Chen DL, Pan FS. Latest research advances on magnesium and magnesium alloys worldwide. J. Magnes. Alloys, 2020, 8(1): 1.

[2] Yang QS, Dai QW, Lou C, Dai JH, Zhang JY, Jiang B, Pan FS. Twinning, grain orientation, and texture variations in Mg alloy processed by pre-rolling. Prog. Nat. Sci. Mater. Int., 2019, 29(2): 231.

[3] Q.H. Wang, S.Y. Chen, B. Jiang, Z.Y. Jin, L.Y. Zhao, J.J. He, D.F. Zhang, G.S. Huang, and F.S. Pan, Grain size dependence of annealing strengthening of an extruded Mg-Gd-Zn alloy subjected to pre-compression deformation, J. Magnes. Alloys, (2021). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jma.2021.03.015

[4] Yu HH, Xin YC, Wang MY, Liu Q. Hall-Petch relationship in Mg alloys: A review. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2018, 34(2): 248.

[5] Kang GZ, Li H. Review on cyclic plasticity of magnesium alloys: Experiments and constitutive models. Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 2021, 28(4): 567.

[6] Yang QS, Jiang B, Song B, Yu ZJ, He DW, Chai YF, Zhang JY, Pan FS. The effects of orientation control via tension-compression on microstructural evolution and mechanical behavior of AZ31 Mg alloy sheet. J. Magnes. Alloys, 2022, 10(2): 411.

[7] Li Q, Lu YF, Luo Q, Yang XH, Yang Y, Tan J, Dong ZH, Dang J, Li JB, Chen Y, Jiang B, Sun SH, Pan FS. Thermodynamics and kinetics of hydriding and dehydriding reactions in Mg-based hydrogen storage materials. J. Magnes. Alloys, 2021, 9(6): 1922.

[8] Wang QH, Jiang B, Chai YF, Liu B, Ma SX, Xu J, Pan FS. Tailoring the textures and mechanical properties of AZ31 alloy sheets using asymmetric composite extrusion. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2016, 673, 606.

[9] Yang QS, Jiang B, Zhou GY, Dai JH, Pan FS. Influence of an asymmetric shear deformation on microstructure evolution and mechanical behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2014, 590, 440.

[10] Xu J, Yang TH, Jiang B, Song JF, He JJ, Wang QH, Chai YF, Huang GS, Pan FS. Improved mechanical properties of Mg-3Al-1Zn alloy sheets by optimizing the extrusion die angles: Microstructural and texture evolution. J. Alloys Compd., 2018, 762, 719.

[11] Kang HT, Ostrom T. Mechanical behavior of cast and forged magnesium alloys and their microstructures. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2008, 490(1–2): 52.

[12] Lee TJ, Kim WJ. The significant effect of adding trace amounts of Ti on the high-temperature deformation behavior of fine-grained Mg−6Al−1Zn magnesium alloys. J. Alloys Compd., 2014, 617, 352.

[13] Guo F, Zhang DF, Yang XS, Jiang LY, Pan FS. Microstructure and texture evolution of AZ31 magnesium alloy during large strain hot rolling. Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China, 2015, 25(1): 14.

[14] Song B, Xin RL, Chen G, Zhang XY, Liu Q. Improving tensile and compressive properties of magnesium alloy plates by pre-cold rolling. Scripta Mater., 2012, 66(12): 1061.

[15] Kim WJ, Lee HW, Yoo SJ, Park YB. Texture and mechanical properties of ultrafine-grained Mg−3Al−1Zn alloy sheets prepared by high-ratio differential speed rolling. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2011, 528(3): 874.

[16] Pérez-Prado MT, del Valle JA, Ruano OA. Achieving high strength in commercial Mg cast alloys through large strain rolling. Mater. Lett., 2005, 59(26): 3299.

[17] Chai YF, Song Y, Jiang B, Fu J, Jiang ZT, Yang QS, Sheng HR, Huang GS, Zhang DF, Pan FS. Comparison of microstructures and mechanical properties of composite extruded AZ31 sheets. J. Magnes. Alloys, 2019, 7(4): 545.

[18] Pan HC, Qin GW, Huang YM, Ren YP, Sha XC, Han XD, Liu ZQ, Li CF, Wu XL, Chen HW, He C, Chai LJ, Wang YZ, Nie JF. Development of low-alloyed and rare-earth-free magnesium alloys having ultra-high strength. Acta Mater., 2018, 149, 350.

[19] Pan FS, Wang QH, Jiang B, He JJ, Chai YF, Xu J. An effective approach called the composite extrusion to improve the mechanical properties of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheets. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2016, 655, 339.

[20] He JJ, Jiang B, Xie HM, Jiang ZT, Liu B, Pan FS. Improved tension-compression performance of Mg-Al-Zn alloy processed by co-extrusion. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2016, 675, 76.

[21] Xu J, Jiang B, Song JF, He JJ, Gao P, Liu WJ, Yang TH, Huang GS, Pan FS. Unusual texture formation in Mg−3Al−1Zn alloy sheets processed by slope extrusion. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2018, 732, 1.

[22] Lu LW, Liu CM, Zhao J, Zeng WB, Wang ZC. Modification of grain refinement and texture in AZ31 Mg alloy by a new plastic deformation method. J. Alloys Compd., 2015, 628, 130.

[23] Yang QS, Jiang B, Tian Y, Liu WJ, Pan FS. A tilted weak texture processed by an asymmetric extrusion for magnesium alloy sheets. Mater. Lett., 2013, 100, 29.

[24] Wu D, Tang WN, Chen RS, Han EH. Strength enhancement of Mg−3Gd−1Zn alloy by cold rolling. Trans. Nonferrous Met. Soc. China, 2013, 23(2): 301.

[25] Chai YF, Jiang B, Song JF, Wang QH, Gao H, Liu B, Huang GS, Zhang DF, Pan FS. Improvement of mechanical properties and reduction of yield asymmetry of extruded Mg-Sn-Zn alloy through Ca addition. J. Alloys Compd., 2019, 782, 1076.

[26] Hu T, Xiao WL, Wang F, Li Y, Lyu SY, Zheng RX, Ma CL. Improving tensile properties of Mg-Sn-Zn magnesium alloy sheets using pre-tension and ageing treatment. J. Alloys Compd., 2018, 735, 1494.

[27] Cheng WL, Tian QW, Yu H, Zhang H, You BS. Strengthening mechanisms of indirect-extruded Mg-Sn based alloys at room temperature. J. Magnes. Alloys, 2014, 2(4): 299.

[28] Shi BQ, Chen RS, Ke W. Solid solution strengthening in polycrystals of Mg-Sn binary alloys. J. Alloys Compd., 2011, 509(7): 3357.

[29] Ding SX, Lee WT, Chang CP, Chang LW, Kao PW. Improvement of strength of magnesium alloy processed by equal channel angular extrusion. Scripta. Mater., 2008, 59(9): 1006.

[30] Liu JB, Zhang K, Han JT, Li XG, Li YJ, Ma ML, Yuan JW, Shi GL. Microstructure and texture evolution of Mg−7Y−1Nd−0.5Zr alloy sheets with different rolling temperatures. Rare Met., 2020, 39(11): 1273.

[31] Liu K, Liang JT, Du WB, Li SB, Wang ZH, Yu ZJ, Liu JX. Microstructure, mechanical properties and stretch formability of as-rolled Mg alloys with Zn and Er additions. Rare Met., 2021, 40(8): 2179.

[32] Chang LL, Cho JH, Kang SK. Microstructure and mechanical properties of twin roll cast AM31 magnesium alloy sheet processed by differential speed rolling. Mater. Des., 2012, 34, 746.

[33] Zhao J, Jiang B, Wang QH, Yuan M, Chai YF, Huang GS, Pan FS. Effects of Li addition on the microstructure and tensile properties of the extruded Mg−1Zn−xLi alloy. Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 2022, 29(7): 1380.

[34] Dai QW, Zhang DF, Chen X. On the anisotropic deformation of AZ31 Mg alloy under compression. Mater. Des., 2011, 32(10): 5004.

[35] Wang QH, Jiang B, Tang AT, Ma SX, Jiang ZT, Chai YF, Liu B, Pan FS. Ameliorating the mechanical properties of magnesium alloy: Role of texture. Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2017, 689, 395.

[36] He C, Zhang YB, Yuan M, Jiang B, Wang QH, Chai YF, Huang GS, Zhang DF, Pan FS. Improving the room-temperature bendability of Mg−3Al−1Zn alloy sheet by introducing a bimodal microstructure and the texture re-orientation. Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 2022, 29(7): 1322.

[37] Wang QH, Jiang B, Chen DL, Jin ZY, Zhao LY, Yang QS, Huang GS, Pan FS. Strategies for enhancing the room-temperature stretch formability of magnesium alloy sheets: A review. J. Mater. Sci., 2021, 56(23): 12965.

[38] J.F. Song, J. Chen, X.M. Xiong, X.D. Peng, D.L. Chen, and F.S. Pan, Research advances of magnesium and magnesium alloys worldwide in 2021, J. Magnes. Alloys, (2022). DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jma.2022.04.001.