Structural stability of ultra-fine grained magnesium alloys processed by equal channel angular pressing
Abstrakt
Structural stability of two magnesium alloys AZ31 (MgAlZn) and AX41 (MgAlCa) processed by equal channel angular pressing is investigated. The mechanical properties, microstructure evolution and dislocation density were studied by microhardness, electron back scatter diffraction and positron annihilation spectroscopy, respectively.
The loss of microstructure stability at high temperatures and the coarsening of the ultrafine-grained structure as a result of isochronal annealing is accompanied by the sharp decrease of microhardness and the decrease of dislocation density. The differences in thermal stability of both alloys are related to different conditions of ECAP pressing and the phase stability, namely the presence of stable Al2Ca precipitates in AX41 alloy.
Microscopic mechanisms controlling the structure stability of both alloys are discussed.