Effects of second phases on deformation behavior and dynamic recrystallization of as-cast Mg-4.3Li-4.1Zn-1.4Y alloy during hot compression

Hot compression and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) behavior corresponding to the second phases of as-cast Mg-4.3Li-4.1Zn-1.4Y (wt.%) alloy was investigated in the range of 250-450 °C and 0.001-10 s−1. True strain-true stress curves showed typical characteristics DRX process. Constitutive relationship yielded an average activation energy (Q) and stress exponent (n) of 147.183 kJ/mol and 5.49, respectively. The hot deformation was mainly controlled by climb of edge dislocations, which turned into cross-slip of screw dislocations at ≥400 °C. The volume fraction of second phases changed the dislocation movement and resulted in the variation of the rate-controlling mechanism. The peak power dissipation efficiency (η) was observed at 450 °C/0.1 s−1 (32%), and the corresponding uniform and fine microstructure was attributed to the dynamic precipitation and complete DRX from uniformly distributed second phase particles. A wide flow instability region was observed at all temperatures and relatively high strain rates, corresponding to the non-uniform microstructure of the incomplete DRX and deformation band composed of ultrafine DRXed grains, which resulted from local distributed second phase particles. DRX process was attributed to the nucleation at second phase particles by the mechanism of particle stimulated nucleation (PSN), and the incomplete DRX process was accompanied by the dynamic recovery (DRV) process.