Effects of aging and fast-cooling on the mechanical properties of Mg-14Li-3Al-3Ce alloy

Effects of aging and fast-cooling on the mechanical properties of Mg-14Li-3Al-3Ce alloy were investigated. Processing of aging and fast-cooling effectively refines microstructure and control the precipitation of intermetallics. Refined microstructures, enhanced tensile strengths and increased ductility were realized. Microstructures phase analysis depicts presence of dominant single coherent bcc β-phase and intermetallics. The as-cast Mg-14Li-3Al-3Ce alloy exhibits YS of 72.6 MPa, UTS of 104.3 MPa with ductility of 5.8%. Mg-14Li-3Al-3Ce alloys that were aged for longer hours show higher age-hardening response than the as-cast alloy. The alloy that was aged for 15 h depicts YS of 105.5 MPa, UTS of 136.8 MPa and strain of 19.2%. Prolonged aging and fast-cooling activates grains/grain boundary refinement. The alloys exhibit high tensile strength after age-hardening response and fast-cooling processing. Precipitation of coherent bcc β-phase contributes to enhanced ductility where as intermetallics and strain aging enhances the tensile strength. Fast-cooling enhanced Mg-14Li-3Al-3Ce alloys strength through grain refinement, crystallization and solid solution strengthening.