Effect of Zn on the microstructure evolution of extruded Mg-3Nd (-Zn)-Zr (wt.%) alloys

► Age-hardening effect of as-extruded Mg-3Nd (-Zn)-Zr alloys decreases with Zn. ► Increasing Zn, β″ in aged alloys decrease while basal plates increases. ► Aged NZ30K behave the highest UTS due to co-existence of basal and prism plates. ► The yield phenomena are connected to the random texture as well as dislocations.