Influence of deformation on precipitation in AZ80 magnesium alloy

Precipitates in the conventionally processed (solution treatment followed by aging) AZ80 alloy are coarse, cellular, and incoherent. They nucleate and grow on the basal planes of the matrix or distribute discontinuously in the alloy. Their unique morphology and undesired distribution make them ineffective for precipitation strengthening. This condition, however, can be modified by applying selected deformation and heat treatment conditions. The effect of deformation and heat treatment on the morphology and distribution of precipitates has been studied. Deformation was introduced by hot extrusion, cold rolling, or equal channel angular pressing (ECAP). The microstructures were characterized using scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that cold deformation improved precipitation more significantly than hot deformation, and twinning promoted precipitation more effectively than slip. When ECAP was applied, the Bc-route induced more precipitates than the A-route.