Influence of Process Parameters on Microstructure of Friction Stir Processed Mg AZ31 Alloy

Friction stir processing (FSP) has been developed on the principles of friction stir welding (FSW) as an effective and efficien new method for grain refinement and microstructural modification, providing intense plastic deformation as well as higher strain rates than other conventional severe plastic deformation methods. FSP produces an equiaxed homogeneous microstructure consisting of fine grains, resulting in the enhancement of the properties of the material at room temperature. The objective of the present paper is to examine the influence of friction stir processing (FSP) parameters namely tool rotational speed (RS), tool traverse speed (TS) and tool tilt angle (TA) on the microstructures of friction stir processed AZ31B-O magnesium alloy. This investigation has focused on the microstructural changes occurred in the dynamically recrystallised nugget zone/ stir zone and the thermo mechanically affected zone during FSP. The results presented in this work indicate that all the three FSP process parameters have a significant effect on the resulting microstructure and also found that the rotational speed has greatly influenced the homogenization of the material. The grain refinement is higher at intermediate rotational speed (1150 rpm), traverse speed (32 mm / min and tilt angle (10). It is established that FSP can be a good grain refinement method for improving the properties of the material.