Magnesium alloys are extensively used for weight reduction in automotive and aircraft applications. This research presents the effect of heat and cryogenic treatment on aluminium-zinc-based Mg alloys. Both treatments can improve the mechanical and corrosion properties of the AZ series Mg alloy. The review deals with a broad understanding of the microstructure changes that occur during heat and cryogenic treatment of Mg alloy. The mechanical and corrosion characteristics of heat and cryogenic treated AZ31, AZ91, AZ63, and AZ80 Mg alloys are discussed. The essential strengthening mechanisms of heat and cryogenic treated AZ series Mg are discussed with microstructure changes. This review has also shown a few gaps in research on the selection of suitable pre- and post-treatment processes for Mg alloy. The effects on grain refinement and the formation of secondary phase particles are discussed in detail. The related crystallographic plane, twining, and dislocation changes are out of the scope of this review. Finally, the correlations of the above changes to mechanical properties are the directions of the future.
Keywords: Corrosion resistance; Heat treatment; Magnesium alloys; Microstructure; Tensile strength.
© 2022 The Authors.