Temperature dependence of deformation behavior in magnesium and magnesium alloy single crystals

It is important to research activation of the slip systems in magnesium crystals to understand deformation behavior of magnesium. In this study, pure magnesium, Mg-7.0at%Li and Mg-0.1at%Zn single crystals were stretched in the [11-20] direction in the range of 77K to 573K to investigate the deformation behavior by non-basal slip. The active slip system was investigated by the observation of slip bands, etch pit bands and dislocations by TEM. {11-22} <-1-123 > second order pyramidal slip is activated in all magnesium and magnesium alloy single crystals, and its yield stress shows anomalous temperature dependence in the range from 77K to 293K, however, the yields stress decreased rapidly with increasing temperature above 293K. The yield stress due to the pyramidal slip in Mg-Li and Mg-Zn alloy were lower than that of pure magnesium about 20MPa whereas the stress of Mg-Zn at 77K was about two times higher than pure magnesium.