Improved tensile properties of an equal channel angular pressed (ECAPed) Mg-8Sn-6Zn-2Al alloy by prior aging treatment

This paper demonstrates that aging prior to ECAP (APE) can greatly enhance the tensile properties of an ECAPed Mg-8Sn-6Zn-2(wt%)Al (TZA862) alloy. Both fine Mg2Sn and icosahedral quasicrystal phase (I-phase) precipitates that formed during the APE treatment could reduce the average size of dynamically recrystallized (DRXed) grains as well as increase the fraction of fine particles after ECAP. Furthermore, the APE treatment resulted in increased basal texture intensity as well as a decreased amount of large non-deformed particles. Therefore, the tensile strength and ductility of ECAPed TZA862 alloy were improved simultaneously by the APE treatment.