Microstructure and mechanical properties of shear spun Mg-5Zn-1Gd-1Y-1Mn alloy

doi:10.1016/j.metadv.2026.02.025

Abstract

Abstract:

Shear spinning is an important method for metal shell forming. However, due to the poor plasticity of magnesium alloy, limited research exists on its spinning forming. Understanding the microstructure evolution of magnesium alloy during shear spinning is the key to realizing its controllable spinning forming. In this work, the microstructure, mechanical properties and fracture behavior of Mg-5Zn-1Gd-1Y-1Mn (ZGWM5111) alloy formed by shear spinning were investigated, and the dynamic recrystallization behavior and texture evolution during shear spinning were clarified. The results show that compared with the traditional plastic deformation, the thickness reduction of ZGWM5111 alloy in shear spinning is very small, and the microstructure can be changed significantly only by shear stress. The shear stress of the alloy varies during the spinning process, influencing both the recrystallization driving force and subgrain mobility. This leads to an evolution in the recrystallization mechanism, progressing from twin-induced to continuous, and ultimately to discontinuous dynamic recrystallization. Different from the existing research on magnesium alloys, the recrystallization grains of ZGWM5111 alloy are continuously refined during the spinning process, and the basal texture strength is also continuously enhanced. In addition, the mechanical properties of ZGWM5111 alloy were significantly improved after shear spinning, especially the elongation was doubled compared with that before spinning, which changes the fracture mode from brittle fracture to ductile-brittle mixed fracture.

Key words: Mg-Zn-Gd-Y-Mn, Shear spinning, MicrostructureRecrystallization

Jing-Xiang Zhao, Kun-Kun Deng, Yi-Jia Li, Cui-Ju Wang, Kai-Bo Nie, Zhong-Sen Huang, Yi-Ming Zhu. Microstructure and mechanical properties of shear spun Mg-5Zn-1Gd-1Y-1Mn alloy[J]. Metals Advances, 2026, 42: 92-106.

Figures/Tables 19

Fig. 1. (a) Cross rolling deformation diagram; (b) sampling diagram of plate after rolling annealing; (c) shear spinning deformation diagram; (d) shear spinning component diagram, microstructure observation sampling position and tensile sample size.

Table 1. Composition of ZGWM5111 alloy (wt%).

Zn	Gd	Y	Mn	Ni	Sn	Al	Mg
4.65	1.18	1.35	0.98	0.0018	0.0021	0.022	Bal.

Table 2. Cross rolling process of ZGWM5111 alloy.

Rolling passes	Thicknesses (mm)	Deformation (%)	Annealing time (min)
1	TD: 8.3→7.5	10	20
2	RD: 7.5→7.0	5	5
3	TD: 7.0→5.9	15	10
4	RD: 5.9→5.4	10	5
5	TD: 5.4→4.3	20	10
6	RD: 4.3→3.6	15	5
7	TD: 3.6→2.5	30	10
8	RD: 2.5→2.0	20	5

Table 3. Spinning process parameters of ZGWM5111 alloy.

Forming parameters	Values
Initial slab thickness, L (mm)	2
Roller diameter, D_r (mm)	170
Roller feed rate, f (mm/r)	0.1
Rotation speed of mandrel, n (r/min)	80
Thickness of spun workpiece	2
Roller number	2
Temperature (°C)	400 ± 20

Fig. 2. OM micrographs of ZGWM5111 alloys: (a) before shear spinning; (b) initial stage; (c) steady stage; (d) final stage.

Fig. 3. SEM micrographs of ZGWM5111 alloys: (a) before shear spinning; (b) initial stage; (c) steady stage; (d) final stage; (e) the overall distribution of the secondary phase after spinning; (f) EDS of secondary phase.

Fig. 4. XRD patterns of ZGWM5111 alloy before and after shear spinning.

Table 4. EDS analyses (at.%) of corresponding points in Fig. 3.

Positions	Elements (at.%)					Possible compounds
Positions	Mg	Zn	Gd	Y	Mn	Possible compounds
A	40.8	39.2	6.8	12.9	0.3	W phase
B	35.3	41.8	9.3	13.2	0.4	W phase
C	98.4	1.5	0	0	0.1	MgZn₂
D	50.1	32.8	6.7	10.1	0.3	W phase
E	98.3	1.2	0	0	0.5	MgZn₂

Fig. 5. TEM micrographs after shear spinning: (a, b) TEM bright field micrographs; SAED micrograph of (a1) W phase; (b1) SAED micrograph of MgZn2 phase; (c) HRTEM micrographs of MgZn2 phase and Mg; (d) HRTEM micrographs of W phase and Mg.

Fig. 6. IPF of ZGWM5111 alloy and its inverse pole diagram corresponding to the deformation direction: (a, a1) initial stage; (b, b1) steady stage; (c, c1) final spinning.

Fig. 7. Pole diagrams of ZGWM5111 alloy before and after shear spinning: (a) as received; (b) initial stage; (c) steady stage; (d) final stage.

Fig. 8. Mechanical properties of ZGWM5111 alloy before and after shear spinning: (a) stress-strain curve; (b) stress-strain histogram.

Fig. 9. Fractography of ZGWM5111 alloy before and after shear spinning: (a) OM of front side fracture; (b) SEM of spinning front side fracture; (c) SEM of the front fracture before spinning; (d) OM of side fracture after spinning; (e) SEM of side fracture after spinning; (f) SEM of front fracture after spinning.

Fig. 10. GOS diagrams of ZGWM5111 alloy before and after spinning: (a) before spinning; (b) initial stage; (c) steady stage; (d) final stage. KAM diagram: (e) before spinning; (f) initial stage; (g) steady stage; (h) final stage.

Fig. 11. Grain orientation angles of ZGWM5111 alloy before and after spinning: (a, a1) before spinning; (b, b1) initial stage; (c, c1) steady stage; (d, d1) final stage.

Fig. 12. Analysis of Abaqus: (a) illustration of shear spinning; (b) equivalent stress and strain nephogram of shear spinning; (c) spatial stress distribution in different stages of spinning process; (d) the equivalent stress and strain values in different stages of spinning process.

Fig. 13. Orientation distribution function (ODF) diagrams of ZGWM5111 alloy at different spinning positions: (a) before spinning; (b) initial stage; (c) steady stage; (d) final stage.

Fig. 14. KAM color pole figure: (a) before spinning; (b) initial stage; (c) steady stage; (d) final stage; (e) grain orientation of ZGWM5111 alloy sheet before and after spinning.

Fig. 15. IPF diagrams of typical area in different spinning stages of ZGWM5111 alloy: (a) initial stage; (b) steady stage; (c) final stage; the orientation angle distribution map of the typical region: (d) initial stage; (e) steady stage; (f) final stage; typical regional pole figure: (g) initial stage; (h) steady stage; (i) final stage.

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