Effect of Y and Ce on the microstructure, mechanical properties and anisotropy of as-rolled Mg-8Li-1Al alloy

Abstract The effects of combined addition of Y and Ce on the microstructure, mechanical properties and anisotropy of as-rolled Mg-8Li-1Al (LA81) alloy were studied. The combined addition of Y and Ce improves the mechanical properties with a low plasticity loss by solution strengthening, dispersion strengthening, grain refinement strengthening. Mg-8Li-1Al-0.6Y-0.6Ce (LA81-0.6Y-0.6Ce) has better mechanical properties and shows an almost isotropy. It possesses an ultimate tensile strength of 278.7 MPa and an elongation of 15.0%. Compared to LA81 alloy, the ultimate tensile strength increases by about 17.6% with an elongation reduction of only 3.5%, and a good isotropy of ultimate tensile strength and elongation (the value of ravg is near 1).