Effect of strain-induced grain boundary migration on microstructure and creep behavior of extruded AZ31 magnesium alloy prepared by pre-compression and annealing treatment

In this study, the creep resistance of extruded AZ31 alloys was enhanced through the application of a PCA (pre-compression and annealing) process. The PCA process resulted in a significant coarsening of the grain size. Additionally, the basal texture of the extruded AZ31 alloys was weakened as a result of the PCA process. The creep resistance of the extruded AZ31 alloys was improved through the PCA process. The minimum creep rate decreased and the creep life increased with increasing pre-compressive strain in the PCA samples. It is posited that the significant coarsening of the grains and the alteration of the crystallographic orientation brought about by the PCA process contribute to the improved creep resistance of the extruded AZ31 alloys.