A novel thermal treatment on a Mg–4.2Y–2.3Nd–0.6Zr (WE43) alloy

A double-stage thermal treatment has been adopted on a Mg–Y–Nd–Zr (WE43) alloy, following suggestions of a previous calorimetric investigation. A secondary precipitation is claimed to occur at a temperature as low as 150 °C after a preliminary precipitation at 210 °C, with the effect of enhancing the hardness increase and reducing the annealing times.