Abstract
The mechanical properties of as-cast Mg-4Nd-xZn (x = 0, 3, 5 or 8 wt.%) alloys were investigated both in situ and ex situ in as-cast and solution-treated conditions. The additions of 3 or 5 wt.% Zn in the base Mg-4Nd alloy did not improve yield strength in comparison to the binary Mg-4Nd alloy. Mechanical properties were shown to improve only with the relatively high concentration of 8 wt.% Zn to Mg-4Nd. The change in intermetallic morphology from a continuous intermetallic to a lamella-like intermetallic was the primary reason for the decreased mechanical properties in Mg-4Nd-3Zn and Mg-4Nd-5Zn compared with Mg-4Nd and Mg-4Nd-8Zn. The dissolution of intermetallic at grain boundaries following heat treatment further indicated the importance of grain boundary reinforcement as shown in both in situ and ex situ compression testing. Azimuthal angle-time plots indicated little grain rotation most noticeably in Mg-4Nd, which also indicated the influence of a strong intermetallic network along the grain boundaries.
Highlights
The growing demand for increased efficiency in the transportation sectors has directed attention to lightweight solutions
The Mg-Zn alloys served as a foundation for the development of low cost Mg alloys and different elemental additions to this system has been investigated in order to develop the mechanical property profile through engineering of the grain boundary phases [5,6,7,8,9]
The change in intermetallic morphology from a continuous intermetallic to a lamella-like intermetallic is the primary cause of the reduction in mechanical properties
Summary
The growing demand for increased efficiency in the transportation sectors has directed attention to lightweight solutions. As one of the lightest metals [1] was the focus of numerous pieces of research in recent years with the goal to overcome the effects of poor absolute mechanical properties and corrosion resistance [2]. This prior research lead to the improvement of the Mg alloys’. Alloying Mg with Zn results in a combination of enhanced strength and ductility [4]. Owing to this performance, the alloy ZK60 (Mg-6.0Zn-0.6Zr (wt.%)) became one of the highest strength commercial wrought Mg alloy. The Mg-Zn alloys served as a foundation for the development of low cost Mg alloys and different elemental additions to this system has been investigated in order to develop the mechanical property profile through engineering of the grain boundary phases [5,6,7,8,9]
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