Heterogeneous Deformation-Induced Strengthening Achieves the Synergistic Enhancement of Strength and Ductility in Mg–Sc Alloys
Magnesium alloys are essential lightweight materials for engineering applications. However, conventional single-phase hexagonal close-packed (HCP) magnesium alloys exhibit poor cold workability and insufficient strength at room temperature, which limits their engineering applications. Compared to HC...
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2025-04-01
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| author | Wei Zhao Mengyu Zhang Ruxia Liu Jian Zhang |
| author_facet | Wei Zhao Mengyu Zhang Ruxia Liu Jian Zhang |
| author_sort | Wei Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Magnesium alloys are essential lightweight materials for engineering applications. However, conventional single-phase hexagonal close-packed (HCP) magnesium alloys exhibit poor cold workability and insufficient strength at room temperature, which limits their engineering applications. Compared to HCP structures with limited slip systems at room temperature, body-centered cubic (BCC) structures possess 12 independent slip systems, enabling better plasticity. Therefore, Mg–Sc alloys with a dual-phase structure (HCP + BCC) exhibit superior plasticity compared to single-phase HCP magnesium alloys. In this study, the deformation behavior of dual-phase Mg-19.2 at.% Sc alloy was investigated, revealing its deformation characteristics and multiscale strengthening mechanisms. Experimental findings indicate that with the rise in annealing temperature, the volume fraction of the α phase progressively declines, while that of the β phase expands. Moreover, the grain size of the α phase first grows and then reduces, whereas the β phase grain size consistently enlarges. When the annealing temperature reaches 600 °C, the alloy exhibits an optimal strength–ductility combination, with an ultimate tensile strength of 329 MPa and an elongation of 20.5%. At this condition, the α phase volume fraction is 20%, while the β phase volume fraction is 80%, with corresponding grain sizes of 5.9 µm and 30.1 µm, respectively. Microstructural analysis indicates that the plastic incompatibility between the α and β phases induces significant heterogeneous deformation-induced (HDI) strengthening. Moreover, the unique bimodal grain size distribution, where the α phase grains are significantly smaller than the β phase grains, enhances the “hard phase harder, soft phase softer” heterogeneous structural effect, further amplifying the HDI strengthening contribution. This study provides new theoretical insights into multiphase interface engineering for designing high-performance dual-phase magnesium alloys. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2075-4701 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-e36dc2a24dbf4c918cb0629ac65ffde32025-08-20T03:13:52ZengMDPI AGMetals2075-47012025-04-0115445710.3390/met15040457Heterogeneous Deformation-Induced Strengthening Achieves the Synergistic Enhancement of Strength and Ductility in Mg–Sc AlloysWei Zhao0Mengyu Zhang1Ruxia Liu2Jian Zhang3State Key Lab of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaState Key Lab of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaState Key Lab of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaState Key Lab of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, ChinaMagnesium alloys are essential lightweight materials for engineering applications. However, conventional single-phase hexagonal close-packed (HCP) magnesium alloys exhibit poor cold workability and insufficient strength at room temperature, which limits their engineering applications. Compared to HCP structures with limited slip systems at room temperature, body-centered cubic (BCC) structures possess 12 independent slip systems, enabling better plasticity. Therefore, Mg–Sc alloys with a dual-phase structure (HCP + BCC) exhibit superior plasticity compared to single-phase HCP magnesium alloys. In this study, the deformation behavior of dual-phase Mg-19.2 at.% Sc alloy was investigated, revealing its deformation characteristics and multiscale strengthening mechanisms. Experimental findings indicate that with the rise in annealing temperature, the volume fraction of the α phase progressively declines, while that of the β phase expands. Moreover, the grain size of the α phase first grows and then reduces, whereas the β phase grain size consistently enlarges. When the annealing temperature reaches 600 °C, the alloy exhibits an optimal strength–ductility combination, with an ultimate tensile strength of 329 MPa and an elongation of 20.5%. At this condition, the α phase volume fraction is 20%, while the β phase volume fraction is 80%, with corresponding grain sizes of 5.9 µm and 30.1 µm, respectively. Microstructural analysis indicates that the plastic incompatibility between the α and β phases induces significant heterogeneous deformation-induced (HDI) strengthening. Moreover, the unique bimodal grain size distribution, where the α phase grains are significantly smaller than the β phase grains, enhances the “hard phase harder, soft phase softer” heterogeneous structural effect, further amplifying the HDI strengthening contribution. This study provides new theoretical insights into multiphase interface engineering for designing high-performance dual-phase magnesium alloys.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/15/4/457Mg–Sc alloyannealingheterostructureHDI strengthening |
| spellingShingle | Wei Zhao Mengyu Zhang Ruxia Liu Jian Zhang Heterogeneous Deformation-Induced Strengthening Achieves the Synergistic Enhancement of Strength and Ductility in Mg–Sc Alloys Metals Mg–Sc alloy annealing heterostructure HDI strengthening |
| title | Heterogeneous Deformation-Induced Strengthening Achieves the Synergistic Enhancement of Strength and Ductility in Mg–Sc Alloys |
| title_full | Heterogeneous Deformation-Induced Strengthening Achieves the Synergistic Enhancement of Strength and Ductility in Mg–Sc Alloys |
| title_fullStr | Heterogeneous Deformation-Induced Strengthening Achieves the Synergistic Enhancement of Strength and Ductility in Mg–Sc Alloys |
| title_full_unstemmed | Heterogeneous Deformation-Induced Strengthening Achieves the Synergistic Enhancement of Strength and Ductility in Mg–Sc Alloys |
| title_short | Heterogeneous Deformation-Induced Strengthening Achieves the Synergistic Enhancement of Strength and Ductility in Mg–Sc Alloys |
| title_sort | heterogeneous deformation induced strengthening achieves the synergistic enhancement of strength and ductility in mg sc alloys |
| topic | Mg–Sc alloy annealing heterostructure HDI strengthening |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4701/15/4/457 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT weizhao heterogeneousdeformationinducedstrengtheningachievesthesynergisticenhancementofstrengthandductilityinmgscalloys AT mengyuzhang heterogeneousdeformationinducedstrengtheningachievesthesynergisticenhancementofstrengthandductilityinmgscalloys AT ruxialiu heterogeneousdeformationinducedstrengtheningachievesthesynergisticenhancementofstrengthandductilityinmgscalloys AT jianzhang heterogeneousdeformationinducedstrengtheningachievesthesynergisticenhancementofstrengthandductilityinmgscalloys |