Enhanced plasticity of twin-roll cast ZK60 magnesium alloy through differential speed rolling

ZK60 magnesium alloy strips were produced by twin-roll cast (TRC) and then subjected to differential speed rolling (DSR) with a velocity ratio of 1:1.2 and 1:1.5. Microstructures, textures and mechanical properties of the DSR-processed sheets were compared with those of equal speed rolling (ESR) to examine the effects of velocity ratio. The sheets processed by DSR showed significantly higher elongation and slightly lower tensile strength than those of the ESR-processed sheet, which can be attributed to the inclination and weakening of the basal fiber texture. Combining the DSR and TRC techniques is suggested to be an effective way of plasticity enhancement of the magnesium alloys, in additional to apparent advantages in energy saving.