Effects of Ce addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg-6Zn-1Mn alloy

Abstract

The effects of Ce addition on the microstructure of Mg-6Zn-1Mn alloy during casting, homogenization, hot extrusion, T4, T6 and T4+two-step aging were investigated. The mechanical properties of alloys with and without Ce were compared. The results showed that Ce had an obvious effect on the microstructure of ZM61-0.5Ce alloy by restricting the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization and restraining the grain growth during extrusion and heat treatment subsequently. A new binary phase Mg 12Ce was identified in ZM61-0.5Ce alloy, which distributed at grain boundaries and was broken to small particles distributed at grain boundaries along extrusion direction during extrusion. The mechanical properties of as-extruded ZM61-0.5Ce alloy were improved with the addition of Ce. The improved tensile properties of as-extruded ZM61-0.5Ce alloy were due to the finer grain sizes as compared to ZM61 alloy. However, the UTS and YS decreased severely and the elongation increased when ZM61-0.5Ce was treated by T6 and T4+two-step aging. Brittle Mg 12Ce phase, which was distributed at the grain boundary areas and cannot dissolve into the Mg matrix after solution treatment, became crack source under tensile stress.