Hot Forming of Mg AZ31B Alloy Sheet Processed by Warm Rolling

Abstract

Mg alloy AZ31B is of interest for hot forming because it can achieve a superplastic response at high temperatures and slow strain rates. As temperature decreases and forming rate increases, its strain-rate sensitivity decreases and significant plastic anisotropy can arise. These effects are the result of a transition in deformation mechanisms from grain-boundary-sliding (GBS) to dislocation-climb (DC) creep. However, sheet production using warm rolling can produce a material with a smaller grain size and weaker basal texture. These microstructural changes promote GBS creep and decrease the degree of anisotropy under DC creep. Microstructural and tensile data are presented to show these effects at 350 and 450C through comparisons to a similar material having a more usual microstructure.