In the present research, a composite with a magnesium alloy (WE43) as the matrix and Akermanite as the bioactive and reinforcing agent was fabricated by friction stir processing (FSP), resulting in a microstructure with uniformly distributed fine grains, second-phase particles and micro-sized Akermanite particles. The effect of an addition of Akermanite to the alloy on the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the resulting composite was investigated. The compressive strength and ductility of the composite were found to be significantly higher than those of the monolithic WE43 alloy. The value of yield strength of the WE43 sample increased from 75 MPa up to 119 and 225 MPa for WE43-6P and WE43-A-6P samples, respectively. Also, the value of the ultimate compressive strength of the WE43 sample increased from 210 MPa up to 240 and 362 MPa for WE43-6P and WE43-A-6P samples, respectively. The value of elongation for WE43, WE43-6P, and WE43-A-6P samples were 4.5%, 16%, and 22%, respectively. The EIS test showed that the corrosion mechanism of WE43 sample is a combination of localized pitting and uniform corrosion, which shifted towards more uniform corrosion with higher corrosion resistance by applying FSP and adding Akermanite powder. The potentiodynamic polarization and in vitro immersion tests confirmed this finding, as evidenced by the increase in polarization resistance from 0.192 for the monolithic WE43 alloy up to 0.339 and 0.609 kΩ/cm² for WE43-6P and WE43-A-6P samples, respectively. The mass loss rate of the WE43 sample decreased from 20.82 to 10.13 mm per year for the WE43-A-6P sample after 312 h immersion in SBF solution. All tests approved that by applying FSP and adding Akermanite to WE43, the corrosion resistance in the SBF solution could be significantly enhanced.

The mechanical properties of a magnesium alloy strongly depend on its grain structure. It is desirable to minimize grain growth during the post-forming annealing treatment, thereby minimizing the loss in strength while regaining ductility. In the present research, the annealing of the hot-rolled AZ61 Mg alloy at different temperatures for different times was performed to reveal the kinetics of grain growth, as affected by the precipitation or dissolution of second-phase particles. Three approaches, i.e., experimental, analytical modeling and atomistic simulation were taken and the results were compared. The predictions made from the analytical model and Monte Carlo simulation were both in acceptable agreement with experimental results in terms of the resultant grain sizes. However, the Monte Carlo simulation showed advantages over the analytical model. It was found that with increasing annealing temperature and holding time, the fraction of second-phase particles reduced, which strongly affected the kinetics of grain growth, limiting grain size and grain size homogeneity. The average grain sizes and the largest grain sizes were both taken as the characteristic parameters of the as-annealed microstructure. The results pointed out the importance of choosing an appropriate combination of annealing temperature and time in order to retain second-phase particles during annealing not only for preventing unrestricted grain growth but also for avoiding grain size inhomogeneity.

A composite material based on the WE43 magnesium alloy and containing nano-sized hardystonite ceramic particles was processed by means of friction stir processing (FSP). Compressive strength and strain-at-failure of the WE43 alloy increased as a combined result of FSP and nanoparticle reinforcement. The results of potentiondynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests indicated that the corrosion mechanism of the nanocomposite is combination of uniform corrosion and localized pitting corrosion which is not different from the base metal. However, the corrosion rate is significantly decreased as a result of reduced localized corrosion of the base metal after FSP and the effect of hardystonite to reduce pitting corrosion. The polarization resistance is increased from 192.48 to 339.61 and 1318.12 Ω/cm² by applying FSP on WE43 and addition of nano-sized hardystonite particles, respectively. Indeed, the fabricated nanocomposite shows significantly increased corrosion resistance. Enhanced strength, ductility and corrosion resistance were attributed to grain refinement in addition to the fragmentation and redistribution of second-phase particles in the magnesium matrix, occurring during FSP.

The present research was aimed at lowering the deformation temperature by applying cover tube casing (CTC) to AZ31 magnesium alloy samples subjected to equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) without triggering surface defects and/or fracture. The Cockcroft-Latham (C & L) fracture model was incorporated into finite element simulation and the critical values for a fracture to occur were determined. The fracture was predicted for the samples deformed at 150, 175, and 200 °C without CTC and with CTC having thicknesses of 1 and 4 mm. The predictions of the model were verified with experimental data. It was found that the workability of AZ31 increased with increasing CTC thickness, as a result of a reduction in the maximum principal stress at the top surface, a uniform distribution of strains, and an increase in the critical damage. In practice, the use of CTC led to the possibility of a reduction in deformation temperature by 25 °C. A sound product with a homogeneous grain structure and a mean grain size of 11 μm was achieved at 175 °C. Thus, the ECAP working window for the alloy was enlarged with accompanying benefits in energy consumption, tooling life, and manufacturing costs.

The faults in welding design and process every so often yield defective parts during friction stir welding (FSW). The development of numerical approaches including the finite element method (FEM) provides a way to draw a process paradigm before any physical implementation. It is not practical to simulate all possible designs to identify the optimal FSW practice due to the inefficiency associated with concurrent modeling of material flow and heat dissipation throughout the FSW. This study intends to develop a computational workflow based on the mesh-free FEM framework named smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) which was integrated with adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) to evaluate the residual stress in the FSW process. An integrated SPH and ANFIS methodology was established and the well-trained ANIS was then used to predict how the FSW process depends on its parameters. To verify the SPH calculation, an itemized FSW case was performed on AZ91 Mg alloy and the induced residual stress was measured by ultrasonic testing. The suggested methodology can efficiently predict the residual stress distribution throughout friction stir welding of AZ91 alloy.

Magnesium alloys have many unique properties, mostly benefitting from the low density of magnesium. However, they are not competitive, when compared with other lightweight materials, such as aluminum alloys, particularly in ductility and corrosion resistance. There is a strong need to improve the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of magnesium alloys. In the present research, friction stir processing (FSP) as a severe plastic deformation process was applied to the WE43 magnesium alloy. The effect of FSP up to 6 passes on the grain structure, second-phase particle distribution, mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the alloy was investigated. It was found that a continuous network of second-phase particles was present at the grain boundaries, which was considered to be one of the main causes for the poor ductility of the alloy in the as-annealed state. By applying two passes of FSP, the grain structure was significantly refined, changing from an average grain size of 12.4 to 2.5 μm. By further FSP, the grain structure continued to refine to an average grain size of 1.4 μm after 4 passes and remained unchanged after 6 passes. However, the fragmentation and redistribution of second-phase particles continued to occur during the 4th and 6th passes of FSP. Because of these microstructural changes, the uniform strain to maximum stress and the strength of specimens gradually improved with increasing number of FSP passes. The corrosion resistance of the alloy was found to be improved by applying 6 passes of FSP, compared to that of the alloy in the initial as-annealed state, which was attributed to the fragmentation and redistribution of second-phase particles. By applying FSP, the uniformity of the protective passive layer was improved and, in the meantime, the intensity of micro-galvanic coupling leading to pitting corrosion was decreased.

In this investigation, microstructural evolution during hot extrusion of AA7020 aluminum alloy has been simulated using multiscale physical models, finite element and Monte Carlo simulation. In addition to predicting the evolution of grain structure in different regions during and after hot extrusion, the framework was capable of indicating the origin of the nucleation of recrystallized grains, which is of fundamental importance for the understanding of the effects of various types of dynamic and static recrystallization events on the resultant microstructure after hot extrusion. To validate the framework, model predictions for peripheral coarse grain (PCG) structure was compared with experimental results. It was found that the operating mechanism of PCG formation depends mainly on the local deformation history. As a result of moderate deformation, the PCG structure was mostly composed of grains nucleated in the static mode after the extrudate left the die orifice and only a few grains in the PCG structure originated from dynamic recrystallization. Local large deformation could, however lead to a fully dynamically recrystallized grain structure and the PCG structure resulted from normal grain growth of dynamically recrystallized grains.

In this research, hot compression test is used to simulate the metallurgical phenomena occurring in the peripheral part of AA7020 aluminum alloy extrudates during hot extrusion and leading to the formation of the peripheral coarse grain (PCG) structure. The temperature profiles at a tracking point in the peripheral part of extrudates are predicted using finite element method (FEM). A special thermal treatment representing the predicted thermal profiles during extrusion is designed and applied to specimens after hot-compression testing. The effects of deformation conditions, i.e., temperature and strain rate, and the subsequent special thermal treatment on the formation of coarse grains in the AA7020 alloy are investigated. The as-deformed microstructures of specimens as well as the microstructures of specimens after the special thermal treatment are examined and the average grain size and homogeneity of grain size distribution determined. It is observed that with increasing deformation temperature or decreasing strain rate, the average recrystallized grain size increases. A fine and homogenous grain structure is obtained by increasing strain rate. According to the results of this investigation, formation of coarse grains at the periphery of the extrudate is attributed to high temperatures raised during extrusion rather than high strain rates.

A two-stage solution treatment composed of an initial soaking at 420 °C for 10 min and the second soaking at 500 °C for 10 min was applied to cold-worked AA6063 aluminum alloy samples after equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) for two and four passes. The microstructures and mechanical properties of the samples were compared with those of the samples after a routine one-stage solution treatment at 500 °C for 10 min. Abnormal grain growth (AGG) occurred to the samples during the one-stage solution treatment. However, no AGG was observed in the samples after the two-stage solution treatment. As a result of the prevention of AGG from occurring, the hardness, yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the alloy after the two-stage solution treatment were significantly increased, while elongation to failure remained almost unchanged.