Effects of heat treatments on laser welded Mg-rare earth alloy NZ30K

In this study, the effects of heat treatments on the quality of laser welded Mg-rare earth alloy NZ30K were systematically studied. The microstructure and mechanical properties of joints, welded by a 15 kW high power CO2 laser, under different heat treatments had been tested and analyzed. The results indicated that the heat treatment plays an important role in the mechanical strength of laser welded joint of NZ30K. The microstructure of samples after the solution treatment as well as aging treatment is different from that of the as-received welded joint. For solution treatment, although the microstructure is much different from that of as-received welded joint, the solution strengthening effect is not obvious. There are lots of precipitates in the fusion zone after the aging treatment, which will significantly enhance the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and the yield tensile strength (YTS) of the welding joint. 79% of YTS is caused by precipitation strengthening. Therefore, the results implied that the UTS and YTS can be greatly improved by proper heat treatment.