On the strengthening and slip activity of Mg-3Al-1Zn alloy with pre-induced { 10 1 ¯ 2 } twins

{101¯2} twins were introduced into the magnesium (Mg) plate AZ31 via pre-rolling along its transverse direction. The plates, both with and without the pre-induced {101¯2} twins, were subjected to uniaxial tension along different directions. Using crystal plasticity modeling, we found that the strengthening effect of the pre-induced {101¯2} twins on the macroscopic flow stress primarily arised from the increased slip resistance caused by the boundaries, rather than the orientation hardening due to the twinning reorientation (although the latter did make its contribution in some specific loading directions). Besides, the pre-existing {101¯2} twins were found, by both experiments and simulation, to promote the activity of prismatic 〈a〉 and pyramidal 〈c + a〉 in the parent matrix of the material. Further analysis showed that the enhanced non-basal slip activity is related to the {101¯2} twin boundaries' low micro Hall-Petch slope ratios of non-basal slips to basal slip. With the critical resolved shear stress (CRSS) obtained from crystal plasticity modeling and the orientation data from EBSD, a probability-based slip transfer model was proposed. The model predicts higher slip transfer probabilities and thus lower strain concentration tendencies at {101¯2} twin boundaries than that at grain boundaries, which agrees with the experimental observation that the strain localization was primarily associated with the latter. The present findings are helpful scientifically, in deepening our understanding of how the pre-induced {101¯2} twins affect the strength and slip activity of Mg alloys, and technologically, in guiding the design of the pre-strain protocol of Mg alloys.