Texture and Lattice Strain Evolution during Tensile Loading of Mg–Zn Alloys Measured by Synchrotron Diffraction

To explore the effect of neodymium (Nd) on the deformation mechanisms of Mg–Zn alloys, texture and lattice strain developments of hot-rolled Mg–Zn (Z1) and Mg–Zn–Nd (ZN10) alloys were investigated using in situ synchrotron diffraction and compared with elasto-viscoplastic self-consistent simulation under tensile loading. The Nd-containing ZN10 alloys show much weaker texture after hot rolling than the Nd-free Z1 alloy. To investigate the influence of the initial texture on the texture and lattice strain evolution, the tensile tests were carried out in the rolling and transverse direction. During tension, the {002} texture components develop fast in Z1, which was not seen for ZN10. On the other hand, fiber // loading direction (LD) developed in both alloys, although it was faster in ZN10 than in Z1. Lattice strain investigation showed that // LD-oriented grains experienced plastic deformation first during tension, which can be related to basal slip activity. This was more apparent for ZN10 than for Z1. The simulation results show that the prismatic slip plays a vital role in the plastic deformation of Z1 directly from the beginning. In contrast, ZN10 plastic deformation starts with dominant basal slip but during deformation prismatic slip becomes increasingly important.