Texture characterisation of hexagonal metals: Magnesium AZ91 alloy, welded by laser processing

Cooled and cast magnesium AZ91 alloy was welded using a CO2 laser. The changes in the microstructure were analysed by optical and scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. Modification of the anisotropic properties was evaluated by the characterization of the texture in the base metal, in the core of the welded zone and in the welded zone close to the surface. In the two former zones, we have not observed a texture. Laser welding only leads to a change of the grain size and a disappearance of the eutectic phase. By contrast, in the welded zone close to the surface, the laser process leads both to a finer microstructure, to a loss of the Al-content and to the presence of several texture components. In this zone, our results showed that these textures are on pyramidal {101¯1} and prismatic {101¯0} planes. Much of the explanation for such texture rests with the fact that during the laser welding, material solidifies in strong non-equilibrium conditions. The kinetics of the nucleation and the growth are partly controlled by the high-rise and high fall of the temperature and the power produced by the laser process. The nature of the texture has been explained by the presence of a columnar to equiaxed transition in the welded zone.