Four kinds of Mg-Y-RE-Zr alloys with different Gd contents were prepared,and the effect of Gd content on microstructure and mechanical properties of the alloys was researched.Based on the experimental investigation,the compounds at the grain boundaries are mainly Mg_(24)Y_5,Mg_(41)Nd_5,and Mg_5Gd phases.The average grain size of as-cast alloys is 50-60μm.After T4(535℃, 24 h)treatment,Mg_5Gd phases mostly decompose and dissolve into the matrix,and the disperse spotted phases are mainly Mg_(24)Y_5 and Mg_(41)Nd_5 phases.After extruding and ageing(250℃,5 h),the grain size is refined and some grains abnormally grow up to about 40μm.With Gd content increasing,the ultimate tensile strength,yield strength of as-cast alloys and the extruded bars after ageing are improved,but the elongation is decreased.
The hot working behaviors of Mg-9Y-1MM-0.6Zr （WE91） magnesium alloy were researched in a temperature range of 653 773 K and strain rate range of 0.001 1 s 1 on Gleeble 1500D hot simulator under the maximum deformation degree of 60%. A mathematical model was established to predict the stress—strain curves of this alloy during deformation. The experimental results show that the relationship between stress and strain is obviously affected by the strain rates and deformation temperatures. The flow stress of WE91 magnesium alloy during high temperature deformation can be represented by Zener-Hollomon parameter in the hyperbolic Arrhenius-type equation, and the stress—strain curves obtained by the established model are in good agreement with the experimental results,which prove that the model reflects the real deformation characteristics of the WE91 alloy. The average deformation activation energy is 220 kJ/mol at strain of 0.1. The microstructures of WE91 during deformation processing are influenced by temperature and strain rates.
The microstructure of WE93 alloy in different states and the mechanical properties at room temperature were investigated, and the creep behavior of the extruded and aged alloy at 200 ℃and at stress of 100, 125 and 150 MPa was also discussed. The result shows that the microstructure of as-cast WE93 alloy consists of α-Mg, Mg 12 （MM） and Mg 24 Y 5 with an average grain size of 45 μm. After being homogenized at 535 ℃for 18 h, the Mg 24 Y 5 phase is dissolved completely and there is only Mg 12 （MM） phase left around the grain boundaries. The grains do not grow up as prolonging the homogenization time. The extruded alloy has better mechanical properties than the as-cast alloy, especially the elongation increases to 12.5%. The extruded and aged alloy exhibits the highest yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of 315 and 385 MPa, respectively, however, the elongation decreases to 6.5%. The extruded and aged alloy exhibits good creep resistance at 200 ℃and at stress of 100 150 MPa. The creep stress exponent n is 2.97, suggesting that grain boundary sliding plays a dominant role at the corresponding temperature and applied stresses.
The microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of Mg-5Y-5Gd-xNd-0.5Zr magnesium alloys at different states were studied.The results reveal that island compounds at the grain boundaries of the as-cast alloys mainly were Mg24Y5,Mg41Nd5,and Mg5Gd phases.After homogenization at 808 K for 24 h,the distribution of the island compounds became discrete and Mg5Gd phases mostly decomposed and dissolved.With hot extrusion,the grain size was refined to about 20 μm on average,and both the strength and elongation were greatly improved.After ageing at 523 K for 5 h,the strength of different extruded alloys largely increased but the elongation decreased.With the increase of neodymium content,the strength of the alloys at different states increased.The content of neodymium element had an obvious effect on the elongation of the designed alloys.In the designed alloys,the Mg-5Y-5Gd-2.2Nd-0.5Zr alloy exhibited the best combination properties and its ultimate tensile strength,yield strength,and elongation could reach 380 MPa,285 MPa,and 9.0%,respectively.
