Modification of Microstructure and Texture in Highly Non-Flammable Mg-Al-Zn-Y-Ca Alloy Sheets by Controlled Thermomechanical Processes

The influence of rolling temperature and pass reduction degree on microstructure and texture evolution was investigated using an AZXW3100 alloy, Mg-3Al-1Zn-0.5Ca-0.5Y, in wt.%. The change in the rolling schedule had a significant influence on the resulting texture and microstructure from the rolling and subsequent annealing. A relatively strong basal-type texture with a basal pole split into the rolling direction was formed by rolling at 450 degrees C with a decreasing scheme of the pass reduction degrees with a rolling step, while the tilted basal poles in the transverse direction were developed by using an increasing scheme of the pass reduction degrees. Rolling at 500 degrees C results in a further distinct texture type with a far more largely tilted basal pole into the rolling direction. The directional anisotropy of the mechanical properties in the annealed sheets was caused by the texture and microstructural features, which were in turn influenced by the rolling condition. The Erichsen index of the sheets varied in accordance to the texture sharpness, i.e., the weaker the texture the higher the formability. The sheet with a tetrarchy distribution of the basal poles into the transverse and rolling directions shows an excellent formability with an average Erichsen index of 8.1.