Dislocation mechanism for dynamic recrystallization in twin-roll casting Mg-5.51Zn-0.49Zr magnesium alloy during hot compression at different strain rates

Dislocation mechanism operating in dynamic recrystallization (DRX) during hot compression of Mg–5.51Zn–0.49Zr alloy was investigated by X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the continuous DRX occurred at a low strain rate of 1×10−3 s−1, which was associated with the operation of the single gliding dislocation climbing. At the intermediate strain rate of 1×10−2 s−1, the continuous DRX was associated with the climbing of the gliding dislocation array as deformed at an elevated temperature of 350 °C, and in contrast, the discontinuous DRX was observed and associated with the bulging of subgrain boundaries as the deformation temperature was raised to 400 °C. The continuous DRX was associated with the climbing of the leading dislocation ahead of pile-ups, and resultant rearrangement of misorientated flat dislocation pile-ups as the strain rate was increased to 1×100 s−1. It is suggested that the mechanism predominating the dislocation climbing was changed from the vacancy migration to the stress acting on the leading dislocation ahead of the pile-up as the strain rate was gradually increased.