Anisotropy of the crystallographic orientation and corrosion performance of high-strength AZ80 Mg alloy

A high-strength AZ80 Mg alloy was prepared through multi-direction forging, thermal extrusion, and peak-aged heat treatment. The microstructure, crystallographic orientation and corrosion performance of extrusion-direction, transverse-direction, and normal-direction specimens were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Experimental results showed that crystallographic orientation significantly influenced the corrosion performance of AZ80 Mg alloy. Corrosion rates largely increased with decreased (0 0 0 1) crystallographic plane intensity, whereas the (1 0 −1 0) and (2 −1 −1 0) crystallographic plane intensities increased. This study showed that the corrosion rates of alloy can be modified to some extent by controlling texture, thereby promoting the applications of high-strength AZ80 Mg alloys in the aerospace and national-defense fields.