The
escalating demand for high specific strength and lightweight metallic materials
in the automotive, aerospace, and electronics industries has greatly promoted
the research and development of advanced cast magnesium alloys. Among
commercial magnesium alloys, Mg–Zn alloys offer distinct advantages over Mg–Al
series alloys due to their pronounced age-hardening characteristics, which
enable strength enhancement through solution and aging treatments. However, the
overall mechanical properties of binary Mg–Zn alloys are not ideal. Squeeze
casting, a process that integrates the broad applicability of casting with the
high quality of forging, offers several advantages, such as environmental
friendliness, efficiency, short processing times, and superior performance.
This technique is particularly suitable for manufacturing complex structural
components and plays a crucial role in promoting lightweighting, energy
conservation, and emission reduction in the automotive and defense sectors. The
synergistic application of rare earth elements and squeeze casting can
significantly improve the mechanical performance of cast magnesium alloys
through various strengthening mechanisms, including grain refinement and
second-phase regulation. Consequently, adding Ca (a non-rare earth element) and
rare earth elements such as Y, Nd, and Dy to Mg–Zn alloys, followed by squeeze
casting, represents an effective technical approach to enhance both the
strength and ductility of these alloys. This strategy refines crystalline
grains and eutectic phases by increasing the supersaturated solid solubility of
the matrix, thereby optimizing the second phases. Despite these advantages, few
reports have examined the regulation of the microstructures of Mg–Zn series
alloys via squeeze casting to improve their strength and ductility, thus
underscoring the urgent need for systematic research. To address this gap and
meet engineering requirements in critical sectors, a novel
Mg–2Zn–0.8Y–0.4Nd–0.5Dy–0.05Ca–0.3Zr alloy was prepared using squeeze casting
combined with aging treatment. This alloy exhibits excellent strength and
ductility, achieving a yield strength, tensile strength, and elongation of 144
MPa, 298 MPa, and 15.7%, respectively. The effects of squeeze casting pressure
on the microstructures and mechanical properties of this Mg–Zn–Ca–Zr–RE alloy
were systematically investigated using various characterization methods,
including scanning electron microscopy, electron backscattered diffraction, and
transmission electron microscopy, coupled with hardness and tensile tests.
Results reveal that squeeze casting significantly refines grains and W phases,
with the W phases transforming from a reticular to a lamellar morphology. This
microstructural optimization leads to superior mechanical properties in
squeeze-cast alloys. Compared to gravity–cast alloys, squeeze-cast alloys
exhibit smaller and more densely distributed Zn–Zr phases within the grains
after solution treatment. Furthermore, the nano-η′ phase formed during
aging significantly enhances the yield strength. In summary, the synergistic
effects of precipitation strengthening and grain boundary strengthening
contribute to the excellent combination of strength and ductility observed in
the new alloy.