Creep and fracture behavior of as-cast Mg-11Y-5Gd-2Zn-0.5Zr (wt%)

The tensile-creep and creep-fracture behavior of as-cast Mg-11Y-5Gd-2Zn-0.5Zr (wt%) (WGZ1152) was investigated at temperatures between 523 and 598 K (0.58-0.66T (m)) and stresses between 30 and 140 MPa. The creep stress exponent was close to five, suggesting that dislocation creep was the dominant creep mechanism. The activation energy for creep (233 +/- A 18 kJ/mol) was higher than that for self-diffusion in magnesium, and was believed to be associated with cross-slip, which was the dominant thermally-aided creep mechanism. This was consistent with the surface observations, which suggested non-basal slip and cross-slip were active at 573 K. The minimum creep rate and fracture time values fit the original and modified Monkman-Grant models. In situ creep experiments highlighted the intergranular cracking evolution. The creep properties and behavior were compared with those for other high-temperature creep-resistant Mg alloys such as WE54-T6 and HZ32-T5.