Grain-Size Strengthening in Equal-Channel-Angular-Pressing Processed AZ31 Mg Alloys with a Constant Texture

Abstract

The effects of ECAP temperature and post-ECAP annealing on grain size, texture and mechanical behavior have been examined. The softening of ECAPed Mg alloys despite the considerable grain size refinement has been ascribed to the texture change during ECAP. The strength of the ECAPed AZ31 Mg alloys, however, increased with decrease in grain size following the standard Hall-Petch relation when the similar texture could be retained. Based on the present analysis, it could be concluded that it was practically hard to improve the strength of the Mg alloys significantly by grain-size refinement when ECAP was used, because texture softening effect was often more dominant over the grain strengthening effect.