Enhanced Deformability of WE43 Magnesium Alloy by Activation of Non-Basal Slip and Twinning Deformation Modes in the Equal Channel Angular Pressing at Room Temperature

Activation of the prismatic and pyramidal slip systems, along with the twinning as the secondary deformation mechanism, assists in the accommodation of a larger plastic strain during the deformation of magnesium alloys. In this paper, deformation mode activity and texture evolution of the WE43 magnesium alloy were investigated during core-sheath equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) at room temperature. Texture studies and transmission electron microscopy inspections suggest that the mechanisms behind the ECAP at room temperature assisted by back pressure were activation of (1010) prismatic slip (as the primary mechanism), as well as extension and contraction twinning.