Thermal stability of different texture components in extruded Mg–3Al–1Zn alloy

Grain growth can modify the texture orientation and the fraction of different texture component. The thermal stability of two texture component in an extruded magnesium AZ31 alloy was investigated. Three types samples with different texture distribution were prepared. The results show that normal grain growth takes place in the magnesium AZ31 alloy during annealing at 300 °C and 450 °C. But the grain growth does not lead to the strengthening of either texture component. Both the <0002> ⊥ED texture and <0002> //ED texture components show good thermal stability, without influence of the texture volume fraction. The two different texture component possess comparable boundary migration ability, so grains of the two texture component consume indifferently the other grains, or are equally consumed during annealing.