Textures and mechanical properties in rare-earth free quasicrystal reinforced Mg-Zn-Zr alloys prepared by extrusion

Microstructure and mechanical properties of quasicrystals dispersed Mg alloys prepared by warm extrusion of the mixtures of Mg and Zn-Mg-Zr quasicrystalline (Qc) powders have been studied. Strong texture oriented along a 1 0 1̄ 0 direction observed in pure Mg was reduced in Qc-dispersed samples, as verified by pole figure method and electron back scattering diffraction. The ultimate tensile strengths at 150 °C for Qc-dispersed extrusions were much higher than 110. MPa for pure Mg, which drastically reached 156. MPa for 15. wt.% Qc by preventing the motion of dislocations. Elongation was improved by the randomization of grain orientation: from 5.7% for pure Mg to 12.9% for 10. wt.% Qc at room temperature; from 15% for pure Mg to 37.1% for 5. wt.% Qc at 150 °C.