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The room-temperature plastic deformation behavior of pure Zn and Zn-Ag (0–2.2 at.%) biodegradable alloys has been investigated via uniaxial in situ micro-pillar compression tests performed within a scanning electron microscope. The critical resolved shear stresses (CRSS) were quantified as a function of micro-pillar diameter. The compression of single crystal micro-pillars was performed at various strain rates in carefully selected grains, the crystallographic orientation of which facilitates deformation either via basal 0001〈112¯0〉 or prismatic 101¯0〈112¯0〉 slip. The CRSS values increased with decreased micro-pillar diameter, revealing a more pronounced size effect in pure Zn deformed via basal slip. The observed solid solution strengthening effect in Zn-Ag alloys with increasing Ag content was associated with a CRSS increase from 26.6 MPa to 37.0 MPa (by ∼ 40 %) in the basal slip system and from 99.1 MPa to 188.4 MPa (by ∼ 104 %) in the prismatic slip system. The extraordinarily high CRSS values for basal slip activated in pure Zn and Zn-0.14Ag alloy compared to the solid solution strengthening model was attributed to the critically low dislocation density. In the Zn-Ag alloy with Ag content > 0.5 at.% higher dislocation densities are expected, which result in a more predictable plastic deformation behavior.

An AZ80 magnesium alloy with an initial grain size of ∼25 μm and a hardness of Hv ≈ 63 was processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT) at room temperature for up to 10 turns under an imposed pressure of 6.0 GPa. After processing, the specimens were examined by optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy and measurements were taken of the Vickers microhardness along diameters of the HPT discs. The results show that the grains are refined to ∼200 nm after 5 and 10 turns of HPT and the hardness increases to Hv ≈ 120 at an equivalent strain of ∼30. There is a saturation condition and no further hardening at additional equivalent strains up to >200.

Titanium alloys, mainly Ti–6Al–4V, are commonly used in biomedical applications as orthopedic implants. Due to the potential toxic influence of V and Al cations on health, a new alloy composition, Ti–24Nb–4Zr–8Sn, was introduced. However, Ti–24Nb–4Zr–8Sn has a much lower tensile strength by comparison with the Ti–6Al–4V alloy. The aim of this research was to determine whether high-pressure torsion (HPT) can be an efficient method for obtaining the desired properties in the case of the Ti–24Nb–4Zr–8Sn β-titanium alloy. This paper presents an analysis of the microstructural and mechanical properties of the Ti–24Nb–4Zr–8Sn alloy processed by HPT with various processing parameters. The obtained microstructures were examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Mechanical properties, such as hardness and tensile strength, were also measured. The study demonstrates that HPT of the Ti–24Nb–4Zr–8Sn alloy leads to a significant reduction of grain size and this grain refinement gives a major improvement in tensile strength and hardness.