In situ damage examination during room temperature deformation of commercially pure magnesium using X-ray micro-computed tomography

Commercially pure magnesium exhibits limited formability at room temperature due to its hexagonal close-packed (HCP) crystal structure. In order to fully exploit magnesium as an industrial material, alloys with acceptable strength and ductility must be developed. As a consequence, the fracure of magnesium is of interest. Fracture in metallic materials occurs by the nucleation, growth and linkage of micro-voids within the bulk of the material. The development of X-ray tomography allows for 3D information to be obtained within the bulk of the material. In the present study, damage is characterized using X-ray computed microtomography during room temperature tension tests of commercially pure magnesium. The data of interest includes the amount of porosity as a function of strain, as well as the shape and distribution of the voids. The data shows a qualitative difference in the way damage develops in magnesium compared with face centered cubic (FCC) metals which exhibit a higher degree of mechanical isotropy. Copyright © 2013 MS&T'13®.