Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Mg-Zn Alloys

Authors: Young Sik Kim, Tae Kwon Ha

Abstract:

Effect of Zn addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg-Zn alloys with Zn contents from 6 to 10 weight percent was investigated in this study. Through calculation of phase equilibria of Mg-Zn alloys, carried out by using FactSage® and FTLite database, solution treatment temperature was decided as temperatures from 300 to 400oC, where supersaturated solid solution can be obtained. Solid solution treatment of Mg-Zn alloys was successfully conducted at 380oC and supersaturated microstructure with all beta phase resolved into matrix was obtained. After solution treatment, hot rolling was successfully conducted by reduction of 60%. Compression and tension tests were carried out at room temperature on the samples as-cast, solution treated, hot-rolled and recrystallized after rolling. After solid solution treatment, each alloy was annealed at temperatures of 180 and 200oC for time intervals from 1 min to 48 hrs and hardness of each condition was measured by micro-Vickers method. Peak aging conditions were deduced as at the temperature of 200oC for 10 hrs. By addition of Zn by 10 weight percent, hardness and strength were enhanced.

Keywords: Mg-Zn alloy, Heat treatment, Microstructure, Mechanical properties, Hardness.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1338840

References:

[1] K. U. Kainer, and F. Buch, “Magnesium Alloys and Technology,” K.E. Kainer (ed.), Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, p. 1, 2003.
[2] F. Czerwinski, “Magnesium Injection Molding,” Springer, NY, p. 20, 2008.
[3] C. D. Yim, Mater. Sci. Forum, vol. 419, p. 611, 2003.
[4] J. A. Horton, C. A. Blue, and S. R. Agnew, “Magnesium Technology 2003,” H. I. Kaplan (ed.), TMS, Warrendale, PA, p. 243, 2003.
[5] B. L. Mordike and T. Ebert, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, vol. 302, p. 37, 2001.
[6] F. Guo, P, Li, X. Gao, and J. Xu, J. Rare Earth, vol. 28, p. 948, 2010.
[7] M. O. Pekguleryuz, and E. Baril, Mater. Trans., vol. 42, p. 1258, 2001.
[8] S. Zhang, X. Zhang, C. Zhao, J. Li, Y. Song, C. Xie, H. Tao, Y. Zhang, Y. He, Y. Jiang, and Y. Bian, Acta Biomaterialia, vol. 6, p. 626, 2010.
[9] G. Wu, F. Yu, H. Gao, C. Zhai, and Y. P. Zhu, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, vol. 408, p. 255, 2005.