Effect of Vanadium Nitride (VN) Particles on Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Extruded AZ31 Mg Alloy

The effect of vanadium nitride (VN) particles additives on microstructure and mechanical properties of the extruded AZ31 Mg alloy was systematically investigated. The experimental results revealed that the addition of 0.5 wt% VN decreased the average grain size of AZ31 Mg alloy from 6.4 to 4.9 µm. With the increase in VN content, the refining effect would weaken because excessive VN particles would negatively affect the dynamic recrystallization process of the alloys. The scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive spectroscopy indicated that AlN, VN and Al–V–N particles with different morphologies were distributed in the streamline along the extrusion direction during the extrusion process. The mechanical properties of AZ31 Mg alloy vary with the addition of VN. The extruded AZ31 + 0.5 wt% VN Mg alloy possesses an excellent combination of high strength and ductility. The yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the extruded AZ31 + 0.5 wt% VN Mg alloy were increased without sacrificing ductility. This is mainly due to the grain refinement caused by double-heterogeneous nucleation particles. With a further increase in VN content, the presence of excessive VN particles increases the stress concentration, and the initiation source of microcracks in the alloy during alloy deformation makes the cracks more easily propagated and results in a decrease in the ductility of the extruded alloy.