Hot Forging of Roll-Cast Magnesium Alloys with High Aluminum Content

Abstract

This paper deals with characteristics of hot forging of twin roll cast magnesium alloyswhich have relatively high aluminum content. High tensile strength magnesium alloys containing 9 to12% aluminum, such as Mg-9%Al-1%Zn, Mg-10%Al-1%Zn, Mg-11%Al-1%Zn, andMg-12%Al-1%Zn have been made by twin roll casting. A new experiment was performed for hotforging of high strength magnesium alloys with high aluminum content was performed. From theresults, using magnesium alloys with high aluminum content yielded less compressive deformationresistance than AXM403. It was also demonstrated that hot forging of magnesium alloys with highaluminum content produces small magnesium crystals (about six micro meters) and crystallizedsubstances. The mean grain size of the microstructure of Mg-12%Al-1%Zn forged at 623K was lessten micrometers although that of the Mg-9%Al-1%Zn was about thirty micrometers. The small betaphase which precipitates in the twin roll cast Mg-12%Al-1%Zn was distributed uniformly comparingto Mg-9%Al-1%Zn. From the result of microscopic observation of the forged products, it has beenrecognised that the Hall-petch rule between mean grain size of forged materials and Vickers hardnesshas been proved. The effects of the dynamic recrystallization on the microstructures of the twin-rollcast products seem to be different in terms of aluminum content. Due to rapid cooling of twin-rollcasting process process, the fabricated magnesium material could be used for hot forging. By applyinga servo press machine, a hot-forging experiment was performed with development of high strengthmagnesium alloys. A novel material that show higher hardness have been fabricated by usingtwin-roll casting process. It has also been clarified that the aluminum content affect precipitation ofbeta phase as well as grain size.