Hot-deformation behaviors of AZ31 alloys with different initial states

The hot-deformation behaviors of three types of AZ31 samples, extruded sheet, hot rolled sheet and cast rod were studied. These samples had different initial grain size and texture. Compression deformation of these samples was carried out using a Gleeble 1500D under a series of thermal deformation conditions. Microstructure and texture of the initial and deformed samples were examined using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) techniques. The flow curves for all these three types of samples shifted upward with strain rate increasing. Significant grain refinement was noticed in the hot rolled sheet sample. The grain size was reduced to 3.7 μm after 50% (ɛ=0.69) compression. The DRX grains in both the extruded rod and hot rolled sheet samples presented the same basal plane texture, irrespective of the difference in the initial texture of the samples.