Deformation mechanisms and microstructural characteristics of AZ61 magnesium alloys processed by a continuous expansion extrusion approach

The unique continuous extrusion-based severe plastic deformation approaches were proposed recently to process high-performance magnesium(Mg)alloys,while the in-depth deformation mechanisms under such complicated thermomechanical conditions were not well understood.In the present work,the fundamental deformation behaviors of AZ61 Mg alloy from 25 to 400°C were firstly examined under uniaxial compression deformation.Then the deformation mechanisms and microstructural characteristics of AZ61 Mg alloy during continuous expansion extrusion forming(CEEF)were systematically investigated by microstructural observations,finite element and cellular automata simulations.The results showed that the continuous evolutions of temperature,larger strain level and complex stress state with strain rate range of 0∼5.98 s−1 during CEEF brought the distinctive dynamic recrystallization behaviors and texture development in AZ61 Mg alloy,which were different to that of uniaxial compression deformation.In details,a remarkable grain refinement was achieved via CEEF processing due to the simultaneous actions of continuous dynamic recrystallization(CDRX)and discontinuous dynamic recrystallization(DDRX).Gradually enhanced CDRX were observed from center to edge region,which had significant effects on the texture distribution and texture strength.The c-axis of most grains rotated under distinctive shear strain following parabolic metal flow,resulting in stable fiber texture.In addition,the evolution of the internal texture of the alloy led to an obvious increase in the Schmid factor for the activation of basalc+aslip system.©2022 Chongqing University.Publishing services provided by Elsevier B.V.on behalf of KeAi Communications Co.Ltd.

Forming limit of textured AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet at different temperatures

Repeated unidirectional bending （RUB） was carried out to improve the texture of commercial AZ31B magnesium alloy sheets. All specimens were prepared in the rolling direction. The forming limit diagrams （FLDs） of AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet were determined experimentally by conducting stretch-forming tests at room temperature, 100, 200 and 300 ℃ Compared with the as-received sheet, the lowest limited strain of AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet with tilted texture in the FLD increased by 79% at room temperature and 104% at 100 ℃. The texture also affected the extension of the forming limit curves （FLC） in the FLD. However, the FLCs of two kinds of sheets almost overlapped at temperature above 200 ℃. It can be concluded that the reduction of （0002） texture intensity is effective to the improvement of formability not only at room temperature but also at low-and-medium temperature. The effect of texture on FLDs becomes weak with increasing temperature.

Theoretical prediction of forming limit diagram of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet at warm temperatures

A theoretical prediction on forming limit diagram（FLD） of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet was developed at warm temperatures based on the M-K theory. Two different yield criteria of von Mises and Hill＇48 were applied in this model. Mechanical properties of AZ31 magnesium alloy used in the prediction were obtained by uniaxial tensile tests and the Fields-Backofen equation was incorporated in the analysis. In addition, experimental FLDs of AZ31 were acquired by conducting rigid die swell test at different temperatures to verify the prediction. It is demonstrated from a comparison between the predicted and the experimental FLDs at 473 K and 523 K that the predicted results are influenced by the type of yield criterion used in the calculation, especially at lower temperatures. Furthermore, a better agreement between the predicted results and experimental data for AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet at warm temperatures was obtained when Hill＇48 yield criterion was applied.

Effect of process parameters on microstructure and properties of AM50A magnesium alloy parts formed by double control forming

Effects of process parameters on microstructure and mechanical properties of the AM50A magnesium alloy components formed by double control forming （DCF） were investigated via a four-factor and four-level orthogonal experiment. The variable curves of DCF showed that the forging procedure was started in the following 35 ms after the injection procedure was completed. It was confirmed that the high-speed filling and high-pressure densifying were combined together in the DCF process. Better surface quality and higher mechanical properties were achieved in the components formed by DCF as compared to die casting （DC） due to the refined and uniform microstructure with a few defects or without defects. Injection speed affected more effectively the yield strength （YS）, ultimate tensile strength （UTS） and elongation as compared to pouring temperature, die temperature and forging force. But the pouring temperature had a more significant effect on hardness as compared to injection speed, die temperature and forging force. Pouring temperature of 675 ＆#176;C, injection speed of 2.7 m/s and forging force of 4000 kN except for die temperature were the optimal parameters for obtaining the highest YS, UTS, elongation and Vickers hardness. Die temperatures of 205, 195, 195 and 225 ＆#176;C were involved in achieving the highest YS, UTS, elongation and Vickers hardness, respectively. Obvious microporosity and microcracks were found on the fracture surface of the components formed by DC, deteriorating the mechanical properties. However, the tensile fracture morphology of the components formed by DCF was characterized by ductile fracture due to a large number of dimples and no defects, which was beneficial for improving the mechanical properties.

Superplastic forming characteristics of AZ41 magnesium alloy

An AZ41 magnesium alloy in the hot-rolled condition without further thermomechanical processing to modify its microstructure was investigated to establish its suitability for use within a superplastic forming process and to establish optimum forming parameters.Formability was assessed using elevated temperature tensile testing and hot gas bulging,across a range of strain rates(1×10^(−1)−1×10^(−3)s^(−1))and temperatures(350−450℃).Circle grid analysis with GOM Aramis cameras was used to understand peak strains and material thinning in relation to industrial forming processes.Post forming EBSD and STEM analysis was conducted to understand the mechanisms responsible for the materials formability,with dynamic recrystallization being clearly evident.Peak elongation of 520%was achieved at 450℃ and 1×10^(−3)s^(−1);industrially relevant elongation was achieved at 1×10^(−2) s^(−1) at both 450℃(195%)and 400℃(170%).

Abnormal mechanical property evolution induced by heat treatment for a semi-solid forming hypereutectic Al-Fe base alloy

In the present study, Al-5.5Fe-4Cu-2Zn-0.4Mg-0.5Mn al oy samples were prepared by electromagnetic stirring and semi-solid forming processing, and then the effects of T6 and T1 heat treatments on the microstructures and mechanical properties of the semi-solid forming samples were investigated. The results indicate that after semi-solid forming, the mechanical properties of the sample improved significantly compared to that of the merely electromagnetically stirred sample. The grains of semi-solid forming alloy became almost fine equiaxed; big long strip-shaped Al3 Fe phases became short rod-like morphology and distributed uniformly in the matrix. However, the mechanical properties of the T6-treated semi-solid forming sample decreased significantly instead of increasing and, with solution temperature rising, the tensile strength of the al oy decreased further. The results of EDS show that after high temperature solid-solution treatment, the Cu element in the semi-solid forming alloy sample is mainly concentrated at the boundaries of the Al3 Fe phases instead of being dissolved in the matrix. At the same time, the grains of the semi-solid forming sample grew slightly after solid-solution treatment. Therefore, the growth of the grains and the accumulation of Cu element at Al3 Fe phase boundaries during solution treatment of the semi-solid forming alloy were the main reasons for the mechanical properties decreasing after T6 treatment. The mechanical properties of the alloy were improved after T1 heat treatment due to aging strengthening phase being precipitated in the matrix.

Preparation of AZ91D Slurries for Semi-Solid Forming Using Al8 ( Mn, Fe) 5 Precipitates

During the solidification of the AZ91D-alloys, the Al8(Mn, Fe)5 phase is generally precipitated in the melt in advance of the precipitation of the primary α-Mg. The basic principle for manufacturing AZ91D-alloy slurries for semi solid forming is to use the Al8(Mn, Fe)5 precipitates as the heterogeneous nucleation sites for primary α-Mg phases. Microscopic analysis for the location of the Al8(Mn, Fe)5 precipitate explains that the Al8(Mn, Fe)5 precipitate is the effective heterogeneous nucleation site for the primary α-Mg phase. It was also observed that increase of the Mn content in the melt and the cooling rate below to the solid/liquid two-phase region resulted in smaller and more globular primary α-Mg due to the increase of heterogeneous nucleation sites. It was found that the average α-Mg diameter grew as a function of t0.278, where t is the holding time at the solid/liquid two-phase region. This would be attributed to the Ostwald type ripening and coalescence between primary α-Mg phases. The cooling rate below to the solid/liquid two-phase region, Mn content in AZ91D alloy, and the holding time and temperature affected on the quality of slurry.

The Formablity of AZ31B Magnesium Alloy Sheet

The forming limit diagrams （ FLD ） of AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet were tested by means of the electro etching grid method based on the forming experiment of magnesium alloy sheet carried out with a BCS- 30D sheet forming testing machine and the strain testing analysis made with an advanced ASAME automatic strain measuring system. Experiments show that, at room temperature, the mechanical properties and deep drawing peorformance of AZ31B cold-rolled magnesium alloy sheet were so poor that it failed to test the forming limit diagrams without an ideal forming and processing capacity, while the hot-rolled magnesium alloy sheet was of a little better plasticity and forming peorformance after testing its forming limit diagrams. It can be concluded that the testing of the forming limit curves （ FLC ） offers the theoretical foundation for the drawing of the deep drawing and forming process of magnesium alloy sheet.

Hot deformation behavior of a spray-deposited AZ31 magnesium alloy

The flow stress behavior of an as-spray-deposited AZ31 magnesium alloy with fine grains was investigated by means of compression tests with a Gleeble 1500 thermal mechanical simulator at isothermal constant strain rates of 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, and 10 s^-1; the testing temperatures ranged from 623 to 723 K. It is demonstrated that a linear equation can be fitted between the Zemer-Hollomon parameter Z and stress in a double-log scale. The effect of deformation parameters on the behavior of recrystallization was analyzed. Dynamic recrystallization （DRX） generally occurs at a higher temperature and at a lower strain rate. The constitutive equation of the spray-deposited AZ31 magnesium alloy is presented by calculating the deformation activation energy （199.8 kJ·mol^-1）. The as-spray-formed AZ31 alloy is easier for DRX nucleation at elevated temperatures due to the fine grain, which provides a large amount of nucleation sites and a high-diffusivity path for the atom.

Study of microstructure evolution of magnesium alloy cylindrical part with longitudinal inner ribs during hot flow forming by coupling ANN-modified CA and FEA

Hot flow forming(HFF)is a promising forming technology to manufacture thin-walled cylindrical part with longitudinal inner ribs(CPLIRs)made of magnesium(Mg)alloys,which has wide applications in the aerospace field.However,due to the thermo-mechanical coupling effect and the existence of stiffened structure,complex microstructure evolution and uneven microstructure occur easily at the cylindrical wall(CW)and inner rib(IR)of Mg alloy thin-walled CPLIRs during the HFF.In this paper,a modified cellular automaton(CA)model of Mg alloy considering the effects of deformation conditions on material parameters was developed using the artificial neural network(ANN)method.It is found that the ANN-modified CA model exhibits better predictability for the microstructure of hot deformation than the conventional CA model.Furthermore,the microstructure evolution of ZK61 alloy CPLIRs during the HFF was analyzed by coupling the modified CA model and finite element analysis(FEA).The results show that compared with the microstructure at the same layer of the IR,more refined grains and less sufficient DRX resulted from larger strain and strain rate occur at that of the CW;various differences of strain and strain rate in the wall-thickness exist between the CW and IR,which leads to the inhomogeneity of microstructure rising firstly and declining from the inside layer to outside layer;the obtained Hall-Petch relationship between the measured microhardness and predicted grain sizes at the CW and the IR indicates the reliability of the coupled FEA-CA simulation results.

Hot rolling characteristics of spray-formed AZ91 magnesium alloy

AZ91 magnesium alloy was prepared by spray forming. The spray-deposited alloy was subsequently hot-rolled with a 80% reduction at 350 ℃. The microstructural features of the as-spray-deposited and hot-rolled alloy were examined by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The results show that the spray-formed AZ91 magnesium alloy has, compared with the as-cast ingot, a finer microstructure with less intermetallic phase Mg17Al12 dispersed in the matrix due to fast cooling and solidification rates of spray forming process, and, therefore showing excellent workability. It can be hot-rolled with nearly 20% reduction for one pass at lower temperatures (330-360℃), and the total reduction can reach 50% prior to annealing. After proper thermo-mechanical treatment, the spray-formed AZ91 magnesium alloy exhibits outstanding mechanical properties.

Precision forging technologies for magnesium alloy bracket and wheel

Fundamental investigations on precision forging technology of magnesium alloys were studied.As-cast billet prestraining and a new concept of hollow billet were proposed in order to reduce the maximum forming load.A schcme of isothermal forming and the use of combined female dies were adopted,which can improve the die filling capacity and ensure the manufacture of high quality forgings.By means of the developed technique,AZ80 alloy wheel and AZ31 alloy bracket were produced successfully at suitable process parameters and applied in the automotive industries.The results show that the hot compression of AZ80 magnesium alloy has the peak flow stresses of pre-strained alloy with finer grain,which are lower by 20%than those of as-cast alloy under the same deformation conditions.The forming load is related to contact area and average positive stress on interface during forging process.

Consideration of Castability and Formability for New Magnesium Alloys

A comprehensive consideration based on castability or plastic formability, as well as mechanical properties for development of either cast magnesium alloys or wrought magnesium alloys is a very important issue. To develop new magnesium alloy sheets with high formability at room temperature, the microstructure, texture, ductility and anisotropy of rolled Mg-Zn-Gd alloy sheets were investigated. The sheets exhibit an excellent ultimate elongation of nearly 50% and an uniform elongation greater than 30% with a very low planar anisotropy. The new sheet has a random basal texture and the basal pole is tilted by maximum 40° from the normal direction towards the transverse direction. The majority of grains in the tilted texture have an orientation favorable for both basal slip and tensile twining because of their high Schmid factor. The low planar anisotropy, the large uniform elongations and the high strain hardening rate observed in the Mg-Zn-Gd sheets result in excellent room temperature formability, the Erichsen values reach ~8, well comparable with the conventional aluminum alloys sheets at room temperature. The solidification pathways and phase equilibria of Mg-Al-Ca alloys have been profoundly investigated by using thermal analysis and thermodynamic calculations. The relationship between hot tearing tendency and alloy compositions were discussed in terms of strength of the mushy zone, solidification pathways and feeding mechanisms, et al. Thixoforming refers to as that metal components are formed in their semi-solid state. Criteria for thixoforming are summarized and then the thixoformability of Mg-Al-Ca based alloys (AC alloys) are evaluated using the thermodynamic calculations based on the consideration of metallurgical parameters.

Microstructural evolution of equal channel angular pressed AZ91D magnesium alloy during semi-solid isothermal heat treatment

The microstructural evolution of AZ91D magnesium alloy processed by equal channel angular pressing during isothermal heat treatment at 570℃was investigated.The results indicated that the equal channel angular pressing followed by semi-solid isothermal heat treatment was an effective method to prepare semi-solid nondendritic slurry of AZ91D magnesium alloy.During this process,its microstructure change underwent four stages,the initial coarsening stage,the structure separation stage,the spheroidization stage and the final coarsening stage.The microstructural spheroidization effect was the best after being heated for 15 min for the alloy pressed for four passes,and the grain size was the smallest.With the further increase of heating time,the grain size and shape factor increased.When the heating time was kept constant,the grain size and shape factor decreased with the increase of pressing passes.

Viscous warm pressure bulging process of AZ31B magnesium alloy with different ellipticity dies

Based on the bulging principle of different ellipticity dies, the methyl vinyl silicone rubber with excellent thermal stability and heat transfer performance was chosen as the viscous medium. The finite element analysis and experiments of viscous warm pressure bulging （VWPB） of AZ31B magnesium alloy were conducted to analyze the influence of different ellipticity dies on the formability of AZ31B magnesium alloy. At the same time, based on the grid strain rule, the forming limit diagram （FLD） of VWPB of AZ31B magnesium alloy was obtained through measuring the strain of bulging specimens. The results showed that at the temperature range of viscous medium thermal stability, the viscous medium can fit the geometry variation of sheet and generate non-uniform pressure field, and as the die ellipticity increases, the difference value of non-uniform pressure reduces. Meanwhile, according to the FLD, the relationship between part complexity and ultimate deformation was investigated.

Partial melting behavior and thixoforming properties of extruded magnesium alloy AZ91 with and without addition of SiC particles with a volume fraction of 15%

A series of reheating-isothermal holding experiments and compression tests were conducted on pristine magnesium alloy AZ91 extruded by equal channel angular extrusion （ECAE） and SiC particles （a volume fraction of 15%） reinforced AZ91 composite （AZ91-SiCp） by regular extrusion. Dissolution of eutectic com- pounds and partial melting of the ct-Mg matrix occurred during the reheating of these materials. Spherical semisolid slurries of these materials were obtained when the reheating temperature and isothermal hold- ing time were 550℃ and 20 s, respectively. The presence of SiCp in AZ91-SiCp not only caused lower liquid fractions of semisolid slurries but also resulted in higher values of flow stress during semisolid compression tests. Both AZgl alloy and AZ91-SiCp composite exhibited better thixoforming properties at high temperatures. Segregation of SiCp did not occur during thixoforming of AZ91-SiCp composite after an isothermal holding at semisolid temperatures for 20 s.2018 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science ＆ Technology.

Preparation and thixoforging of semisolid billet of AZ80 magnesium alloy

Semisolid billet of AZ80 magnesium alloy was prepared by new strain induced melt activated (new SIMA) process and thixoforging experiment was performed.The results show that after as-cast AZ80 magnesium alloy is processed by equal channel angular extrusion, microstructure is refined well due to heavy dynamic recrystallization occurring in severe plastic deformation.Compared with semisolid isothermal treatment and conventional SIMA, semisolid billet with fine and spheroidal grains are achieved in new SIMA.Thixoforging process of semisolid billet prepared by new SIMA has many advantages such as good surface quality of final component, high ability to fill cavity and net-shape.The fine and spheroidal grains and high mechanical properties such as tensile strength of 298 MPa and elongation of 28% can be developed in final part thixoforged.

Plastic deformation of magnesium alloy with different forming parameters during ultrasonic vibration-assisted single-point incremental forming

The research of forming parameters on the ultrasonic vibration single-point incremental forming of magnesium alloy plastic deformation can provide a theoretical basis for the establishment of the forming parameters.According to the forming characteristics of magnesium alloy sheet,a new method of ultrasonic vibration-as sis ted single-point incremental forming was proposed.The influence of forming parameters on the plastic deformation of magnesium alloy was studied by finite element simulation and experimentation.The influence of vibration frequency,amplitude,friction coefficient,and tool head size on stress and thinning rate of magnesium alloy during ultrasonic vibration-as sis ted single-point asymptotic forming was studied.The results show that the vibration frequency of 20 kHz and forming tool radius of about 5 mm are beneficial for plastic deformation magnesium alloy in ultrasonic vibration-assisted single-point incremental forming.With vibration amplitude increasing,the maximum shear stress tends to decrease as a whole,but at the amplitude of 0.16 mm,the thinning rate is large and fracture occurs easily.With friction coefficient increasing,the maximum shear stress tends to increase,and there is a good linear relationship between the maximum thinning rate and the friction coefficient.

Additive manufacturing of magnesium and its alloys: process-formabilitymicrostructure-performance relationship and underlying mechanism

Magnesium and its alloys,as a promising class of materials,is popular in lightweight application and biomedical implants due to their low density and good biocompatibility.Additive manufacturing(AM)of Mg and its alloys is of growing interest in academia and industry.The domain-by-domain localized forming characteristics of AM leads to unique microstructures and performances of AM-process Mg and its alloys,which are different from those of traditionally manufactured counterparts.However,the intrinsic mechanisms still remain unclear and need to be in-depth explored.Therefore,this work aims to discuss and analyze the possible underlying mechanisms regarding defect appearance and elimination,microstructure formation and evolution,and performance improvement,based on presenting a comprehensive and systematic review on the relationship between process parameters,forming quality,microstructure characteristics and resultant performances.Lastly,some key perspectives requiring focus for further progression are highlighted to promote development of AM-processed Mg and its alloys and accelerate their industrialization.

Effect of microstructure on outer surface roughening of magnesium alloy tubes in die-less mandrel drawing

The crystal orientation and outer surface roughening of magnesium alloy tubes were evaluated to clarify the effect of the mandrel on the microstructure and outer surface roughness in die-less mandrel drawing. Locally heated ZM21 tubes with an outer diameter of 6.0 mm and an inner diameter of 3.8 mm were drawn with and without a mandrel. The outer surface roughness and crystal orientation were evaluated in the same measurement area. The results indicated that the outer surface becomes rougher in the die-less mandrel drawing than in die-less drawing for a given outer circumferential strain. The outer surface roughness developed when there was large difference in the pyramidal slip system Schmid factor. Therefore, the slip deformation of the pyramidal slip system seems to be mainly responsible for the outer surface roughening in the die-less mandrel drawing. Furthermore, the crystal grain with the {2110} crystal plane vertical to the normal direction of outer surface had a larger Schmid factor than the other crystal grains. The large number of crystal grains with the {2110} crystal plane in the die-less mandrel drawing is one of the reasons that the outer surface roughness develops more in the die-less mandrel drawing than in die-less drawing for a given outer circumferential strain. These results will contribute significantly to the development of fabrication process of the microtube with high surface quality, which prevents rapid corrosion of biomedical applications.