Regulating precipitates is still an important issue in the development of high-strength Mg alloys, due to it determining the precipitation hardening effect. Cold deformation, as a simple and low-cost method, can remarkably influence the precipitate features. It is found that pre-cold deformation before aging can be utilized to enhance the precipitation hardening effect of Mg alloys. Moreover, post-deformation after aging could be an effective method to regulate precipitation orientation. In this review, recent research on the regulation of precipitation behavior by cold deformation in Mg-Al, Mg-Zn, and Mg-RE (RE: rare-earth elements) alloy systems was critically reviewed. The changes in precipitate features and mechanical properties of peak-aged Mg alloys via cold deformation were summarized. The corresponding strengthening mechanisms were also discussed. Finally, further research directions in this field were proposed.

In this study, as-cast low alloy wear-resistant steels with Ti contents of 0.6 and 3.0 wt-% were prepared at different solidification cooling rates, and the effects of TiC formation on their microstructures, hardness values, and wear resistances were investigated. The obtained phase diagrams and experimental data revealed that the TiC phase was formed via a divorced eutectic reaction in a residual liquid phase during solidification. The larger Ti content promoted the formation of TiC particles, while the solidification cooling rate represented the main influencing factor. Moreover, the produced TiC phase increased the wear resistance of the studied steel and decreased the matrix hardness, suggesting a new method for enhancing its mechanical properties through the formation of a hard ceramic phase.