Effect of Li content on microstructure, texture and mechanical properties of cold rolled Mg–3Al–1Zn alloy

Cold rolling of the as-extruded Mg–3Al–1Zn (AZ31) sheets containing different Li contents (Li=1, 3, 5; wt%) was performed at room temperature with a rolling reduction of 5%, and the microstructure, texture and tensile properties of the cold rolled and annealed sheets were investigated. The results indicated that the AZ31 sheet with a high Li content exhibited a high degree of dynamic recrystallization (DRX). Besides, the strain hardening rate of the annealed AZ31 sheets with a high Li content was more likely to be volatile, which can be attributed to Li atoms interacting with dislocations and influencing the movement of dislocations during the process of deformation. Furthermore, the Li addition to AZ31 alloy decreased the axial ratio (c/a) and led to a weak basal texture tilted towards the transverse direction (TD), and therefore improved the ductility and formability of the cold rolled and annealed AZ31 sheets. AZ31–3Li (LAZ331) sheet possessed excellent comprehensive mechanical properties and presented to be the best option in industrial processes considering the costing saving and property improvement.