High-performance hot-warm rolled Zn-0.8Li alloy with nano-sized metastable precipitates and sub-micron grains for biodegradable stents

Fabricated through a newly developed hot-warm rolling process, Zn-0.8Li (wt%) alloy has ideal strength and ductility far beyond the mechanical benchmark of materials for biodegradable stents. Precipitation of needle-like Zn in primary beta-LiZn4 phase is observed in Zn-Li alloy for the first time. Orientation relationship between them can be described as [1-213](beta)//[2-1 -10](zn), (10-10)(beta) about 4.5 degrees from (0002)(zn). Zn grains with an average size of 640 nm exhibit strong basal texture, detected by transmission electron back-scatter diffraction. Li distribution is determined by three-dimensional atom probe, which reveals the formation of nano-sized metastable alpha-Li2Zn3 precipitates with a number density of 7.16 x 10(22) m(-3). The fine lamellar Zn + beta-LiZn4 structure, sub-micron grains and the nano-sized precipitates contribute to the superior mechanical properties. (C) 2019 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.