Twinning and its role in wrought magnesium alloys

In magnesium and its alloys, twinning plays a critical role in determining many characteristics of the mechanical response. The present chapter provides an overview of twinning in magnesium base alloys with a focus on recent advances made using new techniques such as electron backscattering diffraction, advanced phenomenological models and atomistic modelling. The present chapter is organized to first present the reader with a picture of the fundamental features of twinning. Next, the manner in which twinning affects the mechanical response is examined. Finally, the scope to manipulate twinning with the metallurgical ‘tools’ of alloying and processing is considered.