Annealing behaviour of Mg-3Al-1Zn alloy sheet obtained by a combination of high-temperature rolling and subsequent warm rolling

The recrystallization and grain growth behaviour of Mg-3Al-1Zn alloy sheets with a deformation microstructure, obtained by a combination of high-temperature rolling and subsequent warm rolling, was investigated at different stages of annealing. The basal texture was significantly weakened as a result of the formation of new grains with a largely altered c-axis orientation relative to the initial basal orientation owing to discontinuous static recrystallization during primary recrystallization. The new grains nucleated mostly at the pre-existing grain boundaries rather than at the intersections of twins or within the twins. Subsequent grain growth led to further progression of the texture weakening accompanied by an enhancement in the basal pole inclination. (C) 2011 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.