The Effect of Changes in the Aging Temperature Combined with Deep Cryogenic Treatment on the Structure, Phase Composition, and Micromechanical Properties of the WE43 Magnesium Alloy

Adrian Barylski; Krzysztof Aniołek; Grzegorz Dercz; Izabela Matuła; Jan Rak; Izabela Mazur

doi:10.3390/ma16237447

Materials (Nov 2023)

The Effect of Changes in the Aging Temperature Combined with Deep Cryogenic Treatment on the Structure, Phase Composition, and Micromechanical Properties of the WE43 Magnesium Alloy

Adrian Barylski,
Krzysztof Aniołek,
Grzegorz Dercz,
Izabela Matuła,
Jan Rak,
Izabela Mazur

Affiliations

Adrian Barylski: Faculty of Science and Technology, Institute of Materials Engineering, University of Silesia in Katowice, 75 Pułku Piechoty Street 1A, 41-500 Chorzów, Poland
Krzysztof Aniołek: Faculty of Science and Technology, Institute of Materials Engineering, University of Silesia in Katowice, 75 Pułku Piechoty Street 1A, 41-500 Chorzów, Poland
Grzegorz Dercz: Faculty of Science and Technology, Institute of Materials Engineering, University of Silesia in Katowice, 75 Pułku Piechoty Street 1A, 41-500 Chorzów, Poland
Izabela Matuła: Faculty of Science and Technology, Institute of Materials Engineering, University of Silesia in Katowice, 75 Pułku Piechoty Street 1A, 41-500 Chorzów, Poland
Jan Rak: Faculty of Science and Technology, Institute of Materials Engineering, University of Silesia in Katowice, 75 Pułku Piechoty Street 1A, 41-500 Chorzów, Poland
Izabela Mazur: Faculty of Science and Technology, Institute of Materials Engineering, University of Silesia in Katowice, 75 Pułku Piechoty Street 1A, 41-500 Chorzów, Poland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16237447
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 16, no. 23
p. 7447

Abstract

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This paper examines the optimal aging temperature of WE43 alloy that has undergone precipitation hardening in conjunction with deep cryogenic treatment. The microstructure and phase composition were investigated, a microanalysis of the chemical composition was performed, and instrumental indentation tests were performed to determine the parameters of the micro-mechanical properties of the alloy after different heat treatment variants. It has been proven that a decrease in the aging temperature from 250 °C to 225 °C and the introduction of a deep cryogenic treatment lead to favorable changes in the microstructure of the alloy (reduction in grain size, increase in the number, and change in the type of β-phase precipitates). The changes in the alloy structure achieved by lowering the aging temperature contribute to the improvement of the micromechanical properties of the test material. The most advantageous results were recorded for an alloy subjected to solution treatment and aged at 225 °C for 24 h with deep cryogenic treatment: a 30% increase in hardness, a 10% increase in Young’s modulus, an improvement in elastic properties, and increased resistance to deformation of the alloy were shown compared to the initial (as-received) state. Raising the aging temperature to 250 °C leads to a phenomenon known as alloy overaging for both alloys after classical precipitation hardening and after deep cryogenic treatment. The results indicate the significant effectiveness of the proposed heat treatment in improving the service life of the Mg-Y-Nd-Zr (WE43) alloy.

Published in Materials

ISSN: 1996-1944 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology: Electrical engineering. Electronics. Nuclear engineering; Technology: Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General); Science: Natural history (General): Microscopy; Science: Physics: Descriptive and experimental mechanics
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/materials/

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