An Unusual Extrusion Texture in Mg–Gd–Y–Zr Alloys

Texture evolution is studied by EBSD in Mg–9Gd–4Y–0.4Zr (GW94), Mg–5Gd–4Y–0.4Zr (GW54), and Mg–5Gd–0.4Zr (GW50) alloys after processing with two extrusion‐ratios of 19:1 and 8:1. While the alloys show common extrusion textures at the low extrusion‐ratio of 8:1, an unusual extrusion texture is observed in the GW94 alloy at the high extrusion‐ratio of 19:1 with the (0001) basal planes aligned perpendicular to the extrusion axis. This unusual texture decreases at lower extrusion‐ratios and/or lower alloy contents. It is proposed that rare‐earth (RE) elements modify the texture by retarding recrystallization in solute drag effects on grain boundaries and pinning effects of RE‐rich precipitates.