Microstructure, mechanical properties, creep and corrosion resistance of Mg-Gd-Y-Zr(-Ca) alloys

The microstructure, mechanical properties, creep and corrosion resistance of Mg-Gd-Y-Zr(-Ca) alloys were studied. Small additions of 0.4-0.6 wt% Ca to Mg-(9-10)Gd-3Y-0.4Zr(wt.%) alloys led to a slight improvement in creep resistance and a remarkable increase in corrosion resistance, but an obvious decrease in elongation to fracture. UTS and TYS of the Mg-Gd-Y-Zr(-Ca) alloys are obviously higher than those of WE54, especially in the temperature range from room temperature to 200 degrees C. TEM images and corresponding energy dispersive x-ray spectra showed that the Ca element primarily segregated to the grain boundaries and existed in the cuboid-shaped particles with a trace concentration, and the small addition of Ca had no obvious effect on the orientation, morphology, and distribution of beta' phase, which is responsible for the peak hardness in Mg-Gd-Y-Zr alloys.