Cyclic contraction-expansion extrusion (CCEE): An innovate severe plastic deformation method for tailoring the microstructure and mechanical properties of magnesium AZ91 alloy

In this study, the Cyclic Contraction-Expansion Extrusion (CCEE) process, a novel severe plastic deformation (SPD) technique, is applied to the AZ91 magnesium alloy to enhance its mechanical properties through microstructural refinement. The CCEE method combines cyclic expansion extrusion (CEE) and cyclic extrusion compression (CEC), integrating their advantages while overcoming drawbacks. The CCEE process is capable of inducing substantial plastic strain (3.38) within a single processing cycle, eliminating the need for secondary punches or a synchronized backpressure system. The process is conducted at a temperature of 300 °C, resulting in a bimodal microstructure through the dynamic recrystallization (DRX) mechanism. This microstructure consists of refined equiaxed α-Mg grains with an average size of 2.8 μm, surrounded by a network of newly nucleated α-Mg grains and Mg17Al12 particles with an average size of 500 nm in the two-pass processed sample. Results obtained from the tensile test technique indicate a significant enhancement in the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the AZ91 alloy, increasing from 139 MPa to 276 MPa and 290 MPa, and a notable improvement in elongation, increasing from 4% to 8% and 12% after two passes of the CCEE process. Macro-texture X-Ray diffraction (XRD) measurements reveal the formation of a pyramidal deformation texture in the one-pass sample, contributing to the UTS improvement. This texture weakens during the second pass, leading to an increase in elongation. Furthermore, microhardness measurements show an increase from HV 62 to HV 85 after the first pass of the CCEE and HV 73 after the second pass.