A study on the effect of thermo-mechanical parameters on the deformation behavior of Mg–3Al–1Zn

The flow behavior of AZ31 magnesium alloy was examined at high (250–450 °C) and ultra high (above 450 °C) temperatures. These were carried out using the hot compression testing method. For temperatures ranging from 250 °C to 450 °C, the peak flow stress was modeled using a power law expression with activation energy of 164 kJ/mol, a strain rate exponent of 0.14 (steady-state) stress exponent of 6.6. Also, a value of n = 5 was found for the “sinh” type of equation. The correlation between flow stress and thermo-mechanical parameters was described in terms of microstructural evolutions. The results also indicated that the presence of liquid at temperatures above 470 °C did change the deformation mechanisms, thereby affecting the flow behavior at ultra high temperatures.