Improved ductility of aged Mg-9Al-1Zn alloy strip by electropulsing treatment

Abstract

The effect of electropulsing treatment (EPT) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of aged Mg-9Al-1Zn alloy strip was studied. EPT was found to accelerate tremendously the β phase spheroidization in the aged Mg-9Al-1Zn alloy. This improved microstructure exhibits excellent mechanical properties, that is, increasing elongation to failure significantly without loss of tensile strength. The spheroidization of the β phase during EPT was attributed to the reduction of the nucleation thermodynamic barrier and enhancement of atomic diffusion.