Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy study of roller burnished magnesium alloy

The effect of roller burnishing on Vickers’ hardness and positron lifetimes in the AZ91HP magnesium alloy was studied. The microhardness increases with an increase in the burnishing force and with a decrease in the feed. The comparison of various methods of analysis of positron annihilation lifetime (PAL) spectra allowed identification of two components, which are related to solute-vacancy complexes and vacancy clusters, respectively. It was found that the increase in microhardness was related to the increase in the concentration of vacancy clusters.