Effects of cyclic extrusion and compression parameters on microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–1.50Zn–0.25Gd alloy

Mg–1.50Zn–0.25Gd (at.%) alloy reinforced by icosahedral quasicrystalline phase (I-phase) was fabricated and then subjected to cyclic extrusion and compression (CEC) at 250, 300, 350 and 400 °C, respectively. The effects of CEC parameters including passes and temperatures on microstructure evolution and room temperature tensile mechanical properties were characterized and discussed. The results show that more passes are beneficial for secondary phase precipitation, grain refinement and basal texture weakening; while moderate temperature is beneficial for secondary phase precipitation and basal texture weakening by particle stimulated recrystallization nucleation (PSN), and lower temperature is beneficial for grain refinement. The alloy has the highest yield strength after CEC at 250 °C because of grain refinement and basal texture strengthening, while it has the highest elongation after being processed with 8 passes of CEC due to grain refinement and basal texture weakening. The processing passes have more important effects on microstructure evolution and mechanical properties than that of temperature during CEC. Keywords: Magnesium alloys, Cyclic extrusion and compression (CEC), Microstructure, Texture weakening, Mechanical properties