Application of heat treatment and hot extrusion processes to improve mechanical properties of the AZ91 alloy

The main aim of this paper is to evaluate the effects of hot working (extrusion) and hest treatment on room temperature mechanical properties of magnesium-based AZ91 alloy. The results were compared with as-cast condition. The examined material had been obtained by gravity casting to permanent moulds and subsequently subjected to heat treatment and/or processed by extrusion at 648 K. Microstructural and mechanical properties of properly prepared specimens were studied. Rm, Rp02 and A5 were determined from tensile tests. Brinell hardness tests were also conducted. The research has shown that hot working of AZ91 alloy provides high mechanical properties unattainable by cast material subjected to heat-treatment. The investigated alloy subjected to hot working and subsequently heat-treated has doubled its strength and considerably improved the elongation - compared with the as-cast material.