Development of High Performance Magnesium Alloys via Microstructure and Texture Control

The mechanical properties of extruded ZA (Mg-Zn-Al) alloys with different Al contents were examined. The effects of Al on deformation behaviour were examined by tensile and compressive tests. The changes in texture due to plastic deformation were examined using the X-ray diffraction method. It was found that the basal poles of the extruded ZA alloy were parallel to the normal direction with a slight tendency to incline toward the extrusion direction. The degree of inclination increased with increasing Al content. The inclination degree of the basal poles was found to be closely related to the change in the deformation behaviour of the ZA alloy. Computer simulations were also carried out using the VPSC (visco-plastic self-consistent) theory in order to predict the contributions of various deformation modes to the plastic deformation behaviour of the ZA alloy.