The as-castAZ80magnesiumalloywasprocessedthroughtheexpansionequalchannelangular extrusion(Exp-ECAE)operation.Theprocesswasconductedwithvarioustestconditionsbyvarying the temperature,ramvelocityandnumberofpasses.Then,themechanicalandmicrostructural characteristicsoftheproductwereinvestigated.Thegrainsizereducedby64%inthecomponent processed at225 1C andwitharamvelocityof6mm/min,whiletheUTS,microhardnessandthe elongation showed,respectively,2,1.6and1.8timesimprovementscomparedwiththeas-castbillet.The possibility ofdeformingAZ80Mgalloyattemperaturesbelow200 1C wasalsoexamined.Finally,the Exp-ECAE techniquesucceededinprocessingthisalloyat180 1C withoutapplyinganyexternalback- pressure.Processingundersuchconditionresultedin2.4timesimprovementintheproductstrength,in comparison withtheas-castbillet.
