Flow stress behavior of ZK60 and Al₁₈B₄O₃₃w/ZK60 during hot compression deformation at elevated temperature

Hot compression test of ZK60 magnesium alloy and Al₁₈B₄O₃₃w/ZK60 composite with deformation degree 60% and different temperature and strain rates were performed on Gleeble-1500D thermal simulator testing machine. The relationships between flow stress and deformation temperature as well as strain rate were analyzed. Variation of the flow stress and microstructure of the alloy and composite were studied. Strain rate sensitivity coefficient (m) and the deformation activation energy (Q) were calculated on ZK60 magnesium alloy and Al₁₈B₄O₃₃w/ZK60 magnesium matrix composite. The conclusions were obtained that strain rate sensitivity coefficient (m) of magnesium alloy was 0.14, where as strain rate sensitivity coefficient of composite was 0.12. Deformation activation energy (Q) of magnesium alloy was 226-254 kJ/mol, while deformation activation energy of composite was 254-283 kJ/mol.