Microstructure evolution during high cycle fatigue in Mg–6Zn–1Mn alloy

Abstract Microstructure evolution during high cycle fatigue in extruded Mg–6Zn–1Mn alloy was investigated by servo-hydraulic fatigue testing machine with pull–push sinusoidal loading. The results show that in high stress cycles (cyclic stress≥129 MPa) high cycle fatigue tests promote deformation; however, in low stress cycles (cyclic stress≤125 MPa) high cycle fatigue tests make a contribution to room temperature recrystallization in Mg–6Zn–1Mn alloy. The grain refinement increased with increasing cycles. Electron Back-Scattered Diffraction (EBSD) analyses showed that dynamic recrystallization (DRX) has occurred in post-fatigued alloys, accompanied by the presence of a high number density of low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs). LAGBs generated in the vicinity of initiation grain boundaries and subdivided coarse grains. In the specimens that subjected to higher cycles, the fraction of LAGBs decreased and high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) gradually increased. With the cyclic number increasing the texture intensity was significantly weakened. The DRX in post-fatigued specimens was related to Continuous DRX (CDRX) mechanism.