Microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–Al–Mn–Ca alloy sheet produced by twin roll casting and sequential warm rolling

Microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of twin roll cast (TRC) Mg–3.3 wt.%Al–0.8 wt.%Mn–0.2 wt.%Ca (AM31 + 0.2Ca) alloy strip during warm rolling and subsequent annealing were investigated in this paper. The as-TRC alloy strip shows columnar dendrites in surface and equiaxed dendrites in center regions, as well as finely dispersed primary Al8Mn5 particles on interdendritic boundaries which result in the beneficial effect on microstructural refinement of strip casting. The warm rolled sheets show intensively deformed band or shear band structures, as well as finely and homogeneously dispersed Al–Mn particles. No evident dynamic recrystallization (DRX) takes place during warm rolling process, which is more likely attributed to the finely dispersed particle and high solid solution of Al and Mn atoms in α-Mg matrix. After annealing at 350 °C for 1 h, the warm rolled TRC sheets show fine equiaxed grains around 7.8 μm in average size. It has been shown that the present TRC alloy sheet has superior tensile strength and comparative elongation compared to commercial ingot cast (IC) one, suggesting the possibility of the development of wrought magnesium alloy sheets by twin roll strip casting processing. The microstructural evolution during warm rolling and subsequent annealing as well as the resulting tensile properties were analyzed and discussed.

Research highlights▶ This work, taking AM30 + 0.2Ca alloy as experimental material, will provide some new information as follows: one is microstructural difference between twin roll cast and ingot cast AM31–0.2Ca alloy. The other is the comparison of tensile properties after warm rolling and annealing. Suggesting the possibility of the development of wrought magnesium alloy sheets by strip casting.