The anisotropy and diverse mechanical properties of rolled Mg–3% Al–1% Zn alloy

In this study, samples of magnesium alloys with composition of Mg–3% Al–1% Zn (AZ31) were employed to conduct a series of tensile tests along different directions. The anisotropy and diverse mechanical performances were systematically investigated, and a synchronous improvement trend of strength and plasticity of the rolled Mg alloy with the orientation angle increasing was observed. Simulation output and some observation methods verified the activation of prismatic slip which can contribute to this tendency. To thoroughly explain the influence of prismatic slip, crystallographic analysis was adopted. A tilt angle of 12.7° was then calculated to serve as the critical condition of the activation of basal and prismatic slip, and it was applied to explain the optimization of mechanical properties of the rolled Mg alloy. The synchronous improvement of strength and plasticity proves to be essentially ascribed to the higher applied stress and larger displacement component of certain grains. It is of great significance to get an access to the development of mechanical performance of AZ31 for the industrialized manufacture.