Improving the Mechanical Properties of Mg–Gd–Y–Ag–Zr Alloy via Pre-Strain and Two-Stage Ageing

In this study, we investigated the effects of single-stage ageing (SSA), two-stage ageing (TSA), 2% pre-strain + single-stage ageing (P2%SSA) and 2% pre-strain + two-stage ageing (P2%TSA) on the mechanical properties of as-extruded Mg–8Gd–3Y–0.5Ag–0.5Zr alloy (E alloy). Compared with the SSA treatment, the TSA treatment increased the number density of β′\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\beta ^{\prime}$$\end{document} phase. The P2%SSA and P2%TSA treatments generated the γ′\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\gamma ^{\prime}$$\end{document} phase and chain-like precipitates in addition to the β′\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\beta ^{\prime}$$\end{document} phase. The contributions of these ageing treatments to the alloy strengthening can be ranked as P2%TSA > P2%SSA > TSA > SSA, because the increments in the tensile yield strength were estimated to be 199 MPa > 148 MPa > 144 MPa > 110 MPa. Different from the traditional strengthening of β′\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\beta ^{\prime}$$\end{document} phase in the E + SSA and E + TSA alloys, the composite precipitates comprising the β′\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\beta ^{\prime}$$\end{document} phase, γ′\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\gamma ^{\prime}$$\end{document} phase and chain-like precipitates in the E + P2%SSA and E + P2%TSA alloys provided better combined strengthening effect. The β′\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\beta ^{\prime}$$\end{document} phase was still dominated in the strengthening effect of the composite precipitates. Owing to the higher number density of β′\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\beta ^{\prime}$$\end{document} phase in the composite precipitates, the E + P2%TSA alloy exhibited the better mechanical performance as compared with the E + P2%SSA alloy. Finally, the E + P2%TSA alloy had the ultimate tensile strength of 452 MPa, the tensile yield strength of 401 MPa and elongation to failure of 3.3%.