Micromechanics in Mg alloys: Role of hard Al₂RE precipitates

The influence of hard Al₂RE phases (Sc, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) on the overall and local deformation as well as damage mechanism of Mg alloys has been studied by using a crystal plasticity model based on dislocation density with a brittle damage criterion. Microcracks that lead to swift damage initiation and propagation throughout the matrix have been predicted. It has been found that the hard Al₂RE with higher elastic modulus enhances the damage resistance of the Mg matrix, which was confirmed by fracture SEM/EDS characterizations and phase-field damage simulation. This discovery provides valuable insights for designing Mg alloys with both high stiffness and enhanced damage resistance.