Effect of grain size on superplastic deformation behavior of Zn-0.033 Mg alloy

Abstract

Zn alloys reveal excellent biological degradability and compatibility, suitable mechanical properties, and unique anti-atherosclerotic properties, which make them suited for miniaturized medical implants. Superplastic forming is a promising method to fabricate high-performance microparts with difficult-to-deform materials. However, the effect of grain size on superplasticity in Zn alloys and the underlying mechanisms still need to be determined. In this research, Zn-0.033 Mg (in wt.%) alloy with different grain sizes from 1.53 to 36.17 μm was obtained by equal-channel angular pressing and heat treatment, and its mechanical performance was evaluated by uniaxial tensile tests in the temperature range of 453–533 K and the strain rate range of 0.001–0.01 s−1. Experimental results indicated that the flow stress is significantly reduced with increasing deformation temperature, and the elongation is effectively improved with the reduction in strain rate. Furthermore, the Zn-0.033 Mg alloy with a grain size of 1.53 μm exhibited a superplastic deformation with an elongation of 376 ± 79% at 453 K and 0.001 s−1. Two distinguishing deformation stages were observed during the superplastic deformation. In the early stage, the ∼85 ± 5°/ <1‾1‾20> twins significantly emerged, leading to subsequent dynamic recrystallization by high-angle grain boundary migration. In the steady-state stage, the non-basal dislocation slip was significantly activated via changing the grain orientation from hard to soft orientation with the aid of continuous dynamic recrystallization. The fracture mechanisms were further discussed based on the fracture surface analysis, indicating that the ultrafine-grained structures can accommodate the nucleation and growth of cavities by grain boundary sliding, enabling low-temperature superplasticity. These findings can grant a new insight and understanding of the superplastic mechanism of Zn alloys and shed light on the manufacture of high-performance Zn alloys for medical implants.