Comparison of the Effect of Equal Channel Angular Pressing, Expansion Equal Channel Angular Pressing, and Hybrid Equal Channel Angular Pressing on Mechanical Properties of AZ31 Mg Alloy

In this study, Hybrid Equal Channel Angular Pressing (Hybrid ECAP) method was obtained by applying Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) and Expansion Equal Channel Angular Pressing (Exp.-ECAP) methods successively. These three angular pressing methods were applied to AZ31 Mg alloy using the same process parameters. First, AZ31 Mg specimens were produced in accordance with ECAP, Exp.-ECAP, and Hybrid ECAP dies. Then, changes in the microstructure of the processed specimens were examined using optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectrometry, transmission electron microscope, and x-ray diffraction methods. Besides, changes in the mechanical properties of the processed specimens were observed by performing hardness and tensile tests. As a result of the study, it was found that the Exp.-ECAP method provided higher increase in mechanical properties with more homogeneous microstructure and hardness distribution than the ECAP method. Additionally, the obtained Hybrid ECAP method continued to increase the mechanical properties of the alloy and made the microstructure and hardness distribution more homogeneous than the ECAP method.