Improving the anisotropy of rolled Mg–3Al–1Zn alloy by pre-strain and annealing

Two steps of pre-strain (pre-compression along TD and subsequent re-compression along RD) and annealing were conducted on the hot-rolled AZ31 Mg alloy. The effects of pre-compression and annealing on the texture and anisotropy modification of AZ31 were investigated by XRD and EBSD observations. The results revealed that the generation of the {10−12} twins in the matrix and {10−12}–{10−12} double twins in the previous {10−12} twins dominated the re-compression along RD. The changes occurred in macro-texture with different pre-compression and re-crystallization texture was observed after annealing. The {10−12}–{10−12} double twins formed in the previous {10−12} twins, which significantly modified the compression behavior along the normal direction (ND). The grain refinement by twin lamellas after pre-strain, together with the crystallographic orientation redistribution after pre-strain and annealing, greatly reduce the mechanical anisotropy along RD, TD and ND.