The effect of Ag and Ca additions on the age hardening response of Mg–Zn alloys

The effect of sole and combined additions of Ag and Ca in enhancing the age hardening response in a Mg–2.4Zn (at%) alloy have been studied by systematic microstructure investigations using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and three dimensional atom probe (3DAP). In the early aging stage of a Mg–2.4Zn–0.1Ag–0.1Ca (at%) alloy at 160 °C, Zn-rich Guinier Preston (G.P.) zones form with Ag and Ca enrichment. Further aging lead to the formation of fine β′1 precipitates with Ag and Ca enrichment. We confirmed that the G.P. zones do not form in the Mg–2.4Zn (at%) binary alloy at 160 °C, but form after a prolonged aging at 70 °C. This suggests that the combined addition of Ag and Ca shifts the metastable solvus for the G.P. zones to a higher temperature, thereby making it possible to form G.P. zones even at the artificial aging temperature of 160 °C. Since G.P. zones act as nucleation sites for the β′1 precipitates, the peak-aged microstructure is refined substantially by the addition of Ag and Ca.