Effect of ECAE on Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of Solution Heat Treated Mg-5(mass%) Sn Alloy

Abstract

The microstructures and mechanical properties of the Mg-5(mass%) Sn alloy subjected to a solution heat treatment (SHT) were investigated by using equal channel angular extrusion (ECAE). The average grain size was significantly refined from 147 mu m (as-cast) to 16 mu m by ECAE four passes. Further, the fine Mg2Sn particles were uniformly distributed in the matrix by dynamic precipitation after ECAE four passes. The yield strength (YS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and elongations also showed notable improvements at room temperature and high temperatures (100 and 200 degrees C) on account of the ECAE process. Further, the tensile strength and elongations were better than those of the ECAE without SHT alloy. Those results show that SHT is a useful way to enhance the effect of ECAE on the mechanical properties of Mg-5 (mass%) Sn alloy.