Effect of Annealing Treatments on Strain Rate Sensitivity and Anisotropy in a Magnesium Alloy Processed by Severe Rolling

Abstract

The effect of annealing treatments on the evolution of the strain rate sensitivity with strain of AZ61 magnesium alloy processed by severe rolling was investigated and related to previous results on normal plastic anisotropy (r-value). The various annealing treatments produce two effects on the microstructure: grain coarsening and slight weakening of the texture. In addition, these treatments produce a noticeable decrease in strain rate sensitivity and an increase of work hardening rate that is related to the decrease of the anisotropy. It is concluded that these effects are related to an enhanced contribution of basal slip as a consequence of the microstructural changes induced by the annealing treatments.