Enhanced surface integrity of AZ31B Mg alloy by cryogenic machining towards improved functional performance of machined components

► Spraying liquid nitrogen onto the machined surface led to a 60% decrease of its temperature during machining. ► Nanocrystallined grain structures about 30 nm were found in the “featureless layer” after cryogenic machining. ► The featureless layer thickness increased with larger cutting edge radius. ► Strong basal texture was created on the machined surface, which may significantly improve its corrosion resistance. ► Cryogenic machining resulted in 10 times larger compressive areas in the residual stress profiles.