Strengthening and Improving Yield Asymmetry of Magnesium Alloys by Second Phase Particle Refinement Under the Guidance of Integrated Computational Materials Engineering

Improving yield strength and asymmetry is critical to expand applications of magnesium alloys in industry for higher fuel efficiency and lower CO2 production. Grain refinement is an efficient method for strengthening low symmetry magnesium alloys, achievable by precipitate refinement. This study provides guidance on how precipitate engineering will improve mechanical properties through grain refinement. Precipitate refinement for improving yield strengths and asymmetry is simulated quantitatively by coupling a stochastic second phase grain refinement model and a modified polycrystalline crystal viscoplasticity φ-model. Using the stochastic second phase grain refinement model, grain size is quantitatively determined from the precipitate size and volume fraction. Yield strengths, yield asymmetry, and deformation behavior are calculated from the modified φ-model. If the precipitate shape and size remain constant, grain size decreases with increasing precipitate volume fraction. If the precipitate volume fraction is kept constant, grain size decreases with decreasing precipitate size during precipitate refinement. Yield strengths increase and asymmetry approves to one with decreasing grain size, contributed by increasing precipitate volume fraction or decreasing precipitate size.

Effect of precipitate volume fraction on fracture toughness of extruded Mg–Zn alloys

Four kinds of extruded Mg–X at.% Zn binary alloys (X = 1.9, 2.4, 3.0, and 3.4) were used to examine the effect of precipitate volume fraction on fracture toughness. All the alloys had fine grain sizes of 1–3 μm and fine sphere-shaped precipitates of 50–60 nm. The volume fraction of precipitates increased with additional zinc content. The results of mechanical property tests showed that the extruded Mg–2.4 at.% Zn alloy exhibited the best balance of strength and fracture toughness. One of the reasons was the different volume fraction of precipitates at the grain boundaries, which was the source of void formation. According to the fracture surface observations and ductile fracture model analysis, the volume fraction of precipitates of 2%–4% was shown to be enough to improve the fracture toughness for the fine-grained magnesium alloys; i.e., higher contents of zinc atoms were not needed to enhance the mechanical properties.

A Study of the Kinetic of Precipitation and the Morphology of Precipitates Induced by Plastic Deformation in Al-Zn Alloys

ABSTRACTThe influence of plastic deformation on the kinetic of precipitation and the morphology of precipitates in an Al-Zn 4.4 % at. studied by T.E.P. and SAXS is reported. Some results can be pointed out ; after a given amount plastic deformation at room temperature by tensile strength:i - the precipitates have a flat shape (instead of the spherical or ellipsoidal shape usualy observed in this alloys.ii - the precipitate volume fraction is a function of strain (ε) and strain rate (ė). For a given ė, the higher precipitate volume fraction is obtained with the higher ε. For a given ε, the lower ė the higher the volume fraction of precipitates.iii - the scattering intensities at small angle for three orientations of the sample (α =0,45°, 90° where α is the angle between the axis of tensile and the scattering vector- are different. A calculation for an anisotropic orientation of flat discs shows that precipitates have a preferential texture. The orientation is about 50° from the tensile axis.