The microstructures and mechanical properties of Mg-6Zn-1Mn-4Sn-1.5Nd alloy subjected to extrusion and T5 treatment were investigated using optical microscopy（OM）, X-ray diffractometer（XRD）, scanning electron microscopy（SEM）, electron back scattered diffraction（EBSD）, transmission electron microscopy（TEM）, hardness tests and uniaxial tensile tests. The results showed that the as-cast alloy consisted of α（Mg）, Mn, Mg7Zn3, Mg2 Sn and Mg Sn Nd phases. Dynamic recrystallization has completed during the extrusion process and the average grain size was 7.2 μm. After T5 treatment, the strength increased obviously, the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of as-extruded alloy were increased by 94 and 34 MPa, respectively. Microstructure characterization revealed that the improvement of strength was determined by the high number density of β′1 rods.
The microstructure and mechanical properties of ZK60 Mg alloy were investigated under different solution treatments and artificial aging conditions. When as-cast ZK60 alloy was solution treated at 400 ℃for 10 h and artificially aged at 150 ℃, the volume fraction of precipitates increased with the aging time up to 30 h. When the as-cast ZK60 alloy was solution treated at 400 ℃ for 10 h and artificially aged at 200 ℃ for 15 20 h, the volume fraction of precipitates reached a peak value. Tensile test at room temperature showed that a high density of the second phase precipitates was beneficial to improving the strength and elongation. Solution treatment at 400 ℃ for 10 h and artificial aging at 150 ℃ for 30 h is considered the optimum heat treatment condition to obtain a good combination of strength and ductility.
