The microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg94Zn2Y4 extruded alloy containing long-period stacking ordered structures were systematically investigated by SEM and TEM analyses. The results show that the 18R-LPSO structure and α-Mg phase are observed in cast Mg94Zn2Y4 alloy. After extrusion, the LPSO structures are delaminated and Mg-slices with width of 50-200 nm are generated. By ageing at 498 K for 36 h, the ageing peak is attained andβ′phase is precipitated. Due to this novel precipitation, the microhardness ofα-Mg matrix increases apparently from HV108.9 to HV129.7. While the microhardness for LPSO structure is stabilized at about HV145. TEM observations and SAED patterns indicate that the β′ phase has unique orientation relationships betweenα-Mg and LPSO structures, the direction in the close-packed planes ofβ′precipitates perpendicular to that ofα-Mg and LPSO structures. The ultimate tensile strength for the peak-aged alloy achieves 410.7 MPa and the significant strength originates from the coexistence ofβ′precipitates and 18R-LPSO structures.
Phase compositions and microstructure evolutions of three Mg-Y-Zn cast alloys during isothermal annealing at 773 K have been systematically investigated to clarify the formation behavior of 14 H long period stacking ordered（LPSO） structure from α-Mg grains.The annealed microstructure characteristics indicate that the 18 R phase is thermal stable in Mg86Y8Zn6 alloy where 18 R serves as matrix,and 14 H lamellar phase only forms within tiny α-Mg slices（less than 1% for volume fraction）.The α-Mg grains in Mg88Y8Zn4 and Mg89Y8Zn3 alloys exhibit cellular shape,and 14 H phase forms and develops into lamellar shape in these cellular grains after annealing.The results suggest that the presence of α-Mg grains is a requirement for the generation of 14 H phase.The nucleation and growth rates of 14 H lamellas are accelerated in α-Mg grains with higher concentrations of stacking faults and solute atoms.Moreover,the 14 H lamellas are parallel to adjacent 18 R plates in Mg86Y8Zn6 alloy,but the 14 H phase precipitated in cellularα-Mg grains of Mg88Y8Zn4 and Mg89Y8Zn3 alloys exhibits random orientation relationship with surrounding 18 R phase,indicating that the orientation relationship between 14 H and 18 R phases depends on the relationship between α-Mg grains and 18 R phase.
Microstructures and precipitation behaviours of Mg94Y4Zn2 （at. %） extruded alloy during solution treatment and ageing processes were investigated. Three major phases were observed in the as-cast Ug94Zn2Y4 alloy：α-Mg, block shaped 1 8R long period stacking ordered （LPSO） phase and Mg24Y5 cuboid particles. After homogenization and extrusion, the block shaped LPSO phase changed into plate-like shape aligned along the direction of extrusion. During solution treatment, a small fraction of LPSO phase was transformed from 18R structure to 14H type. The nano-scale β＇ phase with its close-packed planes being perpendicular to the direction of both α-Mg and LPSO structure was precipitated at ageing stage. The coexistence of β＇ and LPSO phase contributes to the strengthening of the alloy, with microhardness for the matrix and LPSO structures reaching 145.8 and 155,0 HV, respectively.
