The high-resolution neutron diffraction and acoustic emission (AE) techniques have been used for in-situ investigation of deformation twinning and microstructure evolution in cast polycrystalline magnesium. The combination of these two techniques results in obtaining complementary information about the twinning mechanism and evolution of the dislocation structure during the straining.
The dependence of the mechanisms of the plastic deformation on loading mode is discussed in detail. The microscopy investigations revealed a difference in twin number and size after tension and compression, respectively.