The effect of precipitation on recrystallization in a Mg-Nd alloy

Abstract

Neodymium has been shown by Rokhlin (2003) to have an abnormally strong effect on recrystallization in binary Mg-X alloys. Here, we explore the origins of this observation by examining the role of precipitation on recrystallization in a binary Mg-2.8Wt.%Nd alloy. It is shown that precipitation in the deformed state is extremely heterogeneous, leading to strong pinning of recrystallized grains. When combined with fast and effective recovery and the highly heterogeneous nature of new grain formation, this results in little recrystallization at temperatures below 400∘C. At higher temperatures, with reduced driving force for precipitation and increasing recrystallization kinetics, the balance between grain growth and precipitate pinning can be shifted so as to favour increasing recrystallization fractions.