Influence of recycled carbon fiber addition on the microstructure and creep response of extruded AZ91 magnesium alloy

In this study,the recycled short carbon fiber(CF)-reinforced magnesium matrix composites were fabricated using a combination of stir casting and hot extrusion.The objective was to investigate the impact of CF content(2.5 and 5.0 wt.%)and fiber length(100 and 500μm)on the microstructure,mechanical properties,and creep behavior of AZ91 alloy matrix.The microstructural analysis revealed that the CFs aligned in the extrusion direction resulted in grain and intermetallic refinement within the alloy.In comparison to the unreinforced AZ91 alloy,the composites with 2.5 wt.%CF exhibited an increase in hardness by 16-20%and yield strength by 5-15%,depending on the fiber length,while experiencing a reduction in ductility.When the reinforcement content was increased from 2.5 to 5.0 wt.%,strength values exhibited fluctuations and decline,accompanied by decreased ductility.These divergent outcomes were discussed in relation to fiber length,clustering tendency due to higher reinforcement content,and the presence of interfacial products with micro-cracks at the CF-matrix interface.Tensile creep tests indicated that CFs did not enhance the creep resistance of extruded AZ91 alloy,suggesting that grain boundary sliding is likely the dominant deformation mechanism during creep.

Microstructural evolution of Mg-14Gd-0.4Zr alloy during compressive creep

The present work reports the creep behavior and microstructural evolution of the sand-cast Mg-14Gd-0.4Zr alloy(wt.%) prepared by the differential pressure casting machine. Their compressive creep tests at 250 ℃ were performed under various applied stresses(i.e., 60, 80 and100 MPa). Among them, the sand-cast Mg-14Gd-0.4Zr samples examined under 250 ℃/80 MPa for 39 and 95 h, respectively, were chosen to systemically analyze their creep mechanisms using high-angle annular dark field-scanning transmission electron microscopy(HAADF-STEM).The obtained results showed that the enhancement of creep resistance can be mainly attributed to the coherent β' and β'_F phases with an alternate distribution, effectively impeding the basal dislocations movement. However, with the creep time increasing, the fine β'+β'_F precipitate chains coarsened and transformed to semi-coherent β_1 phase and even to large incoherent β phase(surrounded by precipitate-free areas) in grain interiors. The precipitate-free zones(PFZs) at grain boundaries(GBs) were formed, and they could expand during creep deformation. Apart from the main cross-slip of basal and prismatic dislocations, type dislocations were activated and tended to distribute near the GBs. The aforementioned phenomena induced the stress concentrations, consequently leading to the increment of the creep strain.

Understanding effects of microstructural inhomogeneity on creep response-New approaches to improve the creep resistance in magnesium alloys

Previous investigations indicate that the creep resistance of magnesium alloys is proportional to the stability of precipitated intermetallic phases at grain boundaries.These stable intermetallic phases were considered to be effective to suppress the deformation by grain boundary sliding,leading to the improvement of creep properties.Based on this point,adding the alloying elements to form the stable intermetallics with high melting point became a popular way to develop the new creep resistant magnesium alloys.The present investigation,however,shows that the creep properties of binary Mg-Sn alloy are still poor even though the addition of Sn possibly results in the precipitation of thermal stable Mg_(2)Sn at grain boundaries.That means other possible mechanisms function to affect the creep response.It is finally found that the poor creep resistance is attributed to the segregation of Sn at dendritic and grain boundaries.Based on this observation,new approaches to improve the creep resistance are suggested for magnesium alloys because most currently magnesium alloys have the commonality with the Mg-Sn alloys.

High temperature tensile,compression and creep behavior of recycled short carbon fibre reinforced AZ91 magnesium alloy fabricated by a high shearing dispersion technique

The present study seeks the feasibility of using short carbon fibres recycled from polymer matrix composites as alternative to virgin carbon fibres in the reinforcement of magnesium alloys.The microstructures,high temperature mechanical and creep properties of AZ91 alloy and its composites with various recycled carbon fibre contents(2.5 and 5 wt.%)and lengths(100 and 500μm)were investigated in the temperature range of 25-200℃.The microstructural characterization showed that the high shear dispersion technique provided the cast composites with finer grains and relatively homogenous distribution of fibres.The materials tested displayed different behaviour depending on the type of loading.In general,while enhancements in the mechanical properties of composites is attributed to the load bearing and grain refinement effects of fibres,the fluctuations in the properties were discussed on the basis of porosity formation,relatively high reinforcement content leading to fibre clustering and interlayer found between the matrix and reinforcement compared to those of AZ91 alloy.The compressive creep tests revealed similar or higher minimum creep rates in the recycled carbon fibre reinforced AZ91 in comparison to the unreinforced AZ91.