Influence of homogenization on the processing map for hot working of as-cast Mg–2Zn–1Mn alloy

Processing maps have been developed for hot deformation of Mg–2Zn– 1Mn alloy in as-cast condition and after homogenization with a view to evaluate the influence of homogenization. Hot compression data in the temperature range 300 – 500 °C and strain rate range 0.001 – 100 s were used for generating the processing map. In the map for the as-cast alloy the domain of dynamic recrystallization occurring at 450 °C and 0.1 s has merged with another domain occurring at 500 °C and 0.001 s representing grain boundary cracking. The latter domain is eliminated by homogenization and the dynamic recrystallization domain expanded with a higher peak efficiency occurring at 500 °C and 0.05 s . The flow localization occurring at strain rates higher than 5 s is unaffected by homogenization.