Title: Effects of manganese and rare earth elements on the microstructural evolution and deformation behaviour of the anode materials of AZ61 magnesium alloy

Authors: Ruixiao Qu; Wenbo Cao; Zhidan Liu; Qingkui Li; Shaokang Guan

Addresses: School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China ' School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China ' School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China ' School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China ' School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450002, China

Abstract: The microstructural evolution of AZ61 alloys derived via a hot compression process, with different contents of manganese (Mn) and rare earth elements were investigated. The results showed that the morphology of Mg₁₇Al₁₂ was gradually changed when the Mn/RE ratio decreases from 1 to 0.3. A new Al₄RE phase was formed with the addition of RE elements and the amount of Al₈Mn₅ increased with the increase of Mn. The optical microscopy images of the samples treated at 400°C for 10 h revealed that the Mg₁₇Al₁₂ phase was dissolved into α-Mg matrix. The hot compression treatment resulted in dynamic recrystallisation of the AZ61 alloys, of which the Al₄RE phase with needle-like changed in morphology compared with the heated alloys. The degrees of dynamic recrystallisation of the alloys with additives of Mn and RE became higher than those of the alloys without Mn or RE elements.

Keywords: anode materials; AZ61 magnesium alloys; microstructure evolution; deformation behaviour; nanotechnology; manganese; rare earth elements; hot compression; dynamic recrystallisation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJNM.2013.056054

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing, 2013 Vol.9 No.3/4, pp.286 - 294

Received: 28 Sep 2012
Accepted: 16 Jan 2013
Published online: 31 Mar 2014 *

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