Extrusion Temperature-Dependent Mechanical and Degradation Behavior in a Cost-Effective and High-Performance Mg-0.6Zr Alloy

doi:10.1007/s40195-025-01893-3

Abstract

Abstract:

Developing cost-effective and high-performance magnesium alloys is a key focus in lightweight materials applications. In this work, a Mg extrusion alloy with a remarkable cost-performance advantage was prepared by microalloying with cost-effective zirconium and adjusting the deformation temperature. Investigations revealed that both the degree of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) and the average grain size increased with increasing extrusion temperature, developing a more homogeneous microstructure. Although all samples exhibited a typical basal texture, a progressive spreading of crystallographic orientations along the < 10-10 > - < 11-20 > arc became increasingly pronounced with elevated extrusion temperatures. At a low extrusion temperature of 200 °C, the heterogeneous microstructure and strong basal texture favored texture and grain boundary strengthening, resulting in the largest yield strength of ~ 244 MPa. However, the potential difference between coarse and fine grains aggravated localized corrosion with a higher corrosion rate of ~ 14.56 mm/y. Conversely, at a high extrusion temperature of 320 °C, the coarse grains and weak basal texture enhanced dislocation storage and the activation of multiple slip systems during axial tension, providing better strain hardening ability and the largest ductility of ~ 13.6%. Nevertheless, grain coarsening and texture weakening were detrimental to mechanical strength (~ 162 MPa). Interestingly, extrusion at 250 °C developed a good combination of grain size, microstructure homogeneity, and texture intensity, achieving synergistic enhancement in grain boundary strengthening, dislocation storage, and uniform corrosion. Thus, a balanced yield strength of ~ 185 MPa, ductility of ~ 12.9%, and corrosion rate of ~ 4.31 mm/y were obtained in this sample.

Key words: Mg-Zr alloys, Mechanical properties, Corrosion behavior, Low-cost

Yu Duan, Yufeng Xia, Baihao Zhang, Wei Jiang, Peitao Guo, Lu Li. Extrusion Temperature-Dependent Mechanical and Degradation Behavior in a Cost-Effective and High-Performance Mg-0.6Zr Alloy[J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2025, 38(10): 1751-1764.

Figures/Tables 14

Fig. 1 Optical micrographs illustrating the as-cast and the longitudinal cross-sectional microstructures of the Mg-0.6Zr alloy extruded at various temperatures: a as-cast, b 200, c 250, and d 320 samples. Backscattered electron (BSE) images and corresponding EDS point analyses of Zr-rich particles in the e 200, f 250, and g 320 extruded samples. h Quantitative analysis of the number density and interparticle spacing of Zr-rich particles

Fig. 2 a-c EBSD orientation maps, corresponding IPFs along the ED, and misorientation angle distributions of the 200, 250, and 320 samples, respectively; d-f KAM maps corresponding to a-c

Table 1 Mechanical properties of the Mg-0.6Zr extrusion alloys

Test alloys	TYS (MPa)	UTS (MPa)	EL (%)	H_c
200	244 ± 3.4	288 ± 4.1	5.4 ± 1.2	0.19
250	185 ± 2.8	240 ± 2.6	12.9 ± 2.1	0.38
320	162 ± 1.6	211 ± 2.4	13.6 ± 1.8	0.42

Fig. 3 Fracture surface morphologies of the Mg-0.6Zr extrusion alloys tested at room temperature: a 200, b 250, and c 320 samples

Fig. 4 Comparison of strength increment per unit weight and ductility of the alloy studied in this work with those of other as-extruded binary Mg alloys reported in literature [11,12,13,14,15,16]

Fig. 5 Electrochemical performance of different samples in SBF: a potentiodynamic polarization curves, b Nyquist plots, c Bode modulus plots, and d Bode phase angle plots

Table 2 Fitted electrochemical parameters obtained from the polarization curves

Sample	E_corr(V_SCE)	i_corr(μA/cm²)	P_i(mm/y)
200	−1.699	590	13.48
250	−1.782	137	3.05
320	−1.713	157	3.59

Table 3 EEC fitting results for the Mg-0.6Zr extrusion alloys

Sample	R_s (Ω cm²)	R_ct (Ω cm²)	C_dl		R_f (Ω cm²)	C_f		L (H cm²)	R_L (Ω cm²)	R_P (Ω cm²)
Sample	R_s (Ω cm²)	R_ct (Ω cm²)	Y_0，dl (μF cm⁻² sⁿ⁻¹)	n_dl	R_f (Ω cm²)	Y_0，dl (μF cm⁻² sⁿ⁻¹)	n_f	L (H cm²)	R_L (Ω cm²)	R_P (Ω cm²)
200	22.6	135.1	41.7	0.85	102.3	2718.2	0.78	3251	3.5	105.7
250	21.2	185.0	27.2	0.95	402.5	2479.8	0.46	4363	232	505.4
320	20.2	174.8	46.1	0.85	170.0	2842.6	0.63	3174	34.2	198.6

Fig. 6 Corrosion morphologies of the a, d, g 200, b, e, h 250, and c, f, i 320 samples after 1-day immersion in SBF: a-c with corrosion products, d-f after removal of corrosion products, and g-i LSCM images post removal

Fig. 7 Grain orientation maps, corresponding ED IPFs, and GND density maps of the 250 and 320 samples at 0% and 10% strain: a-d 250 sample, e-h 320 sample

Fig. 8 Slip trace identification in the 250 and 320 samples at 10% strain: a 250 sample, b 320 sample; c, c1 basal slip, d, d1 prismatic slip, e, e1 pyramidal I slip, and f, f1 pyramidal II slip; g statistical distribution of activated slip systems in both samples

Fig. 9 VPSC simulation results for the a, b 250 and c, d 320 samples: a, c experimental and simulated true stress-strain curves, b, d relative activity of different deformation modes

Fig. 10 Experimental and simulated pole figures of the 250 and 320 samples after 10% strain, based on VPSC calculations

Fig. 11 Correlation between alloy cost and performance indicators for this study and other binary Mg extrusion alloys [11,12,13,14,15,16]: a strength increment per unit weight versus price, b ductility increment per unit weight versus price, and c corrosion rate versus price

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