Magnesium Alloy Characteristics
Magnesium alloys, composed of the lightest structural metal, magnesium, fortified with additional metallic elements like manganese, aluminum, zinc, silicon, copper, zirconium, and rare earth metals, exhibit low density, high strength, excellent heat dissipation, and good shock absorption.
Low Density:
With a density around 1.8 g/cm³,the minimum can be less than 1g/cm³,magnesium alloys are lighter than aluminum (2.7 g/cm³) and steel (7.8 g/cm³), making them ideal for weight reduction in various applications such as automotive, aerospace, rockets, missiles, and portable devices.
High Strength-to-Weight Ratio:
Certain magnesium alloys achieve strength comparable to aluminum and steel structural metals while maintaining a lighter weight. This characteristic makes magnesium alloys an ideal choice for applications requiring both lightweight and high strength.
Machinability and Castability:
Renowned for excellent machinability, magnesium alloys can be easily processed through methods like die-casting, forging, stretching, and extrusion. They can also be welded without difficulty.
Heat Dissipation:
Heat dissipation refers to a material's ability to conduct, absorb, and release heat. Magnesium alloys exhibit a thermal conductivity approximately twice that of aluminum, offering superior heat dissipation. This property is advantageous in applications requiring efficient heat dissipation, such as in electronic devices and automotive engine components.
Shock Absorption:
Introducing specific elements like zinc, strontium, aluminum, rare earth metals, etc., into magnesium alloys enhances their grain structure, thereby improving their ability to absorb vibrations. This attribute is beneficial in applications requiring reduced vibration and noise, such as in aerospace, automotive manufacturing, and mechanical engineering.
Electromagnetic Shielding:
Magnesium alloys demonstrate better electromagnetic shielding properties compared to aluminum alloys. Pure magnesium also displays good electromagnetic shielding properties. Depending on alloying elements, the shielding performance may vary, with AZ series magnesium alloys offering the highest shielding efficiency.
However, magnesium alloys have limitations in high-temperature strength and creep resistance, which restrict their applications. Recent research advancements aim to expand the use of magnesium alloys.