Effects of Y Alloying Element on Micro-pillar Compression of Mg Alloy

In this study, effects of yttrium (Y) addition on basal slip have been investigated by micropillar compression at room temperature. Micropillar specimens were machined with a focused ion beam apparatus in grains of pure magnesium (Mg) or Mg-1at%Y alloy polycrystals. The c-axis of the micropillars was inclined from the loading axis at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The estimated critical resolved shear stress (CRSS) of basal slip was 14MPa for pure Mg and 30MPa for Mg-Y respectively, and moreover, the stress-strain curves of pure Mg and Mg-Y micropillars were different. The solid solution strengthening by Y was discussed with atomistic calculations.