The feasibility of fabricating ZA84 magnesium alloy with non-dendritic microstructure by a semi-solid isothermal heat treatment process and the effects of holding temperature and time on the semi-solid isothermal heat-treated microstructure of the alloy were investigated. The results indicate that it is possible to produce ZA84 alloy with non-dendritic microstructure by suitable semi-solid isothermal heat treatment. After being treated at 560-575 ℃ for 120 min, ZA84 magnesium alloy can obtain a non-dendritic microstructure with 14.2%-25.6% liquid fraction and an average size of 56-65 μm of the unmelted primary solid particles. With the increasing holding time from 30 to 120 min or holding temperature from 560 to 575 ℃, the average size of unmelted primary solid particles decreases and globular tendency becomes more obvious. Under the experimental condition, the microstructural evolution of ZA84 alloy during semi-solid isothermal treatment is mainly composed of three stages of initial coarsening, structural separation and spheroidization. The subsequent coarsening of spheroidal grains is not observed.
Y and Gd demonstrate anomalous solid solution hardening efficiency,which cannot be understood using the elastic impuritydislocation interaction theory.We performed first-principles calculations to investigate the effect of different alloying elements such as Al,Zn,Y,and Gd on the chemical bonding of Mg solid solutions.The present calculations clearly show that the anomalous solid solution hardening of Y and Gd in Mg may be understood based on the increased bonding strength of both Mg-Y (Gd) and Mg-Mg.
