In Situ Uniaxial Compression of Textured Magnesium AZ31B

Abstract

Strain-controlled uniaxial compression tests on textured magnesium AZ31B sheet samples were carried out using a 5 kN Kammrath & Weiss tension–compression in situ stage using a scanning electron microscope in combination with real-time electron backscatter diffraction lattice orientation mapping. The distribution of deformation twins in the samples was studied and correlated with the results of finite element simulation of the elastic strain to show that bands of twinned grains formed in areas where the principal compressive stress (σ3) was a maximum, and they formed normal to the trajectory of the principal direction of σ3. This was correlated with maps of lattice disorientation within the grains, which showed the inclination for twins to grow in alignment with local and larger-scale distributions of elastic strain. Mappings of the same area at different values of strain were made to examine the formation and growth of individual twins within the macroscopic bands of twinned grains. All the twins observed were consistent with the extension-type twin, with 86.3° disorientation with respect to the parent grain. Mappings of the grain internal disorientation were related to the elastic strain, and it was found that twin formation and growth followed the contours of the highest elastic strain within and across grains. The maximum angular disorientation found within the grains was approximately 10°, suggesting that this might correspond to a threshold of elastic strain required to initiate twinning.