Non-equal channel angular pressing (NECAP) of AZ80 Magnesium alloy: Effects of process parameters on strain homogeneity, grain refinement and mechanical properties

Non-Equal Channel Angular Pressing (NECAP) has a higher extrusion ratio than the well-known Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) process, which results in a greater plastic deformation and higher grain refinement in the product. In this research, the effects of the temperature, strain rate and frictional condition on the deformation and mechanical properties of NECAP product have been studied. Finite Element (FE) simulations were also carried out to model the deformation of the sample under a range of processing conditions. NECAP experiments with AZ80 Magnesium alloy have been performed for a range of temperatures and deformation rates. The post-process tensile properties of the 1-passed NECAP product confirmed an improvement of 20-50% in ultimate tensile strength and an elongation up to 1.7 times that of the as-cast material. Based on the plastic strain distribution found from the FE results, which is a quantitative measure, one can improve the mechanical properties of the product by choosing the most appropriate processing conditions.