Microscale Fracture Testing of Mg-Zn-Y

Abstract

AbstractA microfracture testing technique was applied for investigating the fracture properties of Mg-Zn-Y alloys with a long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phase. Microsized cantilever beam specimens with dimensions ≈ 10×20×50 μm3 were prepared from Mg-Zn-Y alloys by focused ion beam (FIB) machining. Notches with widths of 0.5 μm and depths of 3.5–5 μm were also introduced into the specimens by FIB machining. In this study, three types of Mg-Zn-Y alloys―Mg99.2Zn0.2Y0.6, Mg97Zn1Y2, and Mg88Zn5Y7―were used. Fracture tests were successfully conducted using a mechanical testing machine for microsized specimens at room temperature. The fracture toughness values (KIC) could not be obtained as the specimen size was too small to satisfy the plane strain condition. Hence, provisional KQ values were considered. The KQ values of the Mg97Zn1Y2 alloy were 0.8–1.2 MPam½, and those of the Mg88Zn5Y7 alloy were 1.2–3.0 MPam½. As the fracture in the Mg99.2Zn0.2Y0.6 alloy specimen occurred in a ductile plastic deformation, it was impossible to evaluate KQ values of this specimen. The increasing volume fraction of the LPSO phase indicates that the fracture toughness of Mg-Zn-Y alloys increases in LPSO phase.