Production of AZ80 magnesium alloy wires: influence of heat treatment on microstructure and properties after twin-roll casting

Twin-roll casting (TRC) of magnesium sheets has already been analysed in numerous ways. The installation of a pilot plant for the twin-roll casting of magnesium wire at the Institute of Metal Forming, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, has opened up a further area for research. The principle of twin-roll casting of wire is comparable, although the microstructure development is different because of the resulting process-specific solidification and forming conditions. In this work, wire was produced for the first time from the magnesium alloy AZ80 using the TRC process. The microstructure consists of dendritic areas, twins, deformed areas and recrystallised grains. A non-basal texture with low intensity is developed, which is retained even after heat treatment. A temperature of 450 °C and a holding time of 1 h have been shown to be favourable for heat treatment to achieve a uniform grain structure. On the basis of the microstructure and texture analysis, the responsible recrystallisation mechanisms were discussed. Finally, mechanical properties at room temperature were presented and compared with extruded and cast material from the literature.