Rate controlling mechanisms during hot deformation of Mg–3Gd–1Zn magnesium alloy: Dislocation glide and climb, dynamic recrystallization, and mechanical twinning

•Hot deformation behavior and dynamic recrystallization of GZ31 magnesium alloy.•Deducing the operative deformation mechanisms by constitutive analysis.•Viscous glide as the rate controlling step during hot working of GZ31 alloy.•Characterization of the effect of mechanical twinning on constitutive relations.

The flow behavior of the Mg–3Gd–1Zn (GZ31) magnesium alloy during hot working was critically analyzed and dislocation glide in the form of a viscous drag process (viscous glide) was identified as the rate controlling mechanism due to interaction of rare earth Gd atoms with the moving dislocations. Mechanical twinning was shown to significantly affect the level of flow stress at high Zener–Hollomon parameters, i.e. low forming temperatures and high strain rates. Moreover, dynamic recrystallization (DRX) was found to be another responsible phenomenon for deviation of constitutive equations from the theoretical ones, namely the deformation activation energy based on diffusivity and the pre-defined Garofalo’s type hyperbolic sine power, during high-temperature thermomechanical processing of this creep resistant light alloy.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide