Effect of Extrusion Process on Microstructure, Corrosion Properties, and Mechanical Properties of Micro-Alloyed Mg-Zn-Ca-Zr Alloy

• Published in: Materials Vol. 17; no. 17; p. 4263
• Main Authors: Yu, Zemin, Hu, Wenxin, Chen, Zhiqiang, Shi, Lei, Yang, Lei, Jin, Jianfeng, Zhang, Erlin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 28-08-2024
• Subjects: Alloys; Calcium; Corrosion and anti-corrosives; Corrosion effects; Corrosion products; corrosion properties; Corrosion rate; Corrosion resistance; Corrosion tests; Electrodes; extrusion; Extrusion rate; Grain size; Homogenization; Magnesium; Magnesium alloys; Mechanical properties; Mg–Zn–Ca–Zr alloy; Microstructure; Morphology; Software; Solid solutions; Specialty metals industry; Temperature; Yield stress; Zinc; Zirconium; Zirconium base alloys; Zr-rich phase; United States > US; Japan; Germany; corrosion properties; Mg–Zn–Ca–Zr alloy; Zr-rich phase; mechanical properties; extrusion
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma17174263

The effect of the extrusion process on the microstructure, corrosion, and mechanical properties of Mg-Zn-Ca-Zr alloy has been investigated. Zn and Ca were both in a solid solution and only the Zr-rich phase was observed in the homogenized and extruded alloys. The Zr-rich phase was obviously refined after extrusion. The corrosion rate of the homogenized alloy decreased by about 25% after extrusion. This is because the refined Zr-rich phase was easier to cover with the deposited corrosion products, which reduced the cathodic reaction activity of the Zr-rich phase. The corrosion rate is similar for the alloys extruded at 320 °C and 350 °C since the size and distribution of the Zr-rich phase were not different in the two conditions. The alloy extruded at 320 °C has a smaller grain size and better comprehensive mechanical properties.