AZ80

Characteristics and Applications

AZ80 magnesium alloy, a representative wrought Mg-Al-Zn system alloy, exhibits exceptional comprehensive properties.with specific strength significantly surpassing traditional aluminum alloys and steel, comparable to ZK60 magnesium alloy but offering cost advantages. The alloy achieves solid solution strengthening and precipitation strengthening through Al element, forming Mg₁₇Al₁₂ strengthening phases, while Zn synergistically enhances strength. Microstructural analysis reveals coarse grains and segregation in as-cast AZ80, whereas extrusion processing refines grains to below 10 μm with homogeneous β-phase dispersion, constituting the key mechanism for mechanical property enhancement.

Advantages

AZ80 demonstrates multiple superior characteristics:

Ultralow density (1.8 g/cm³) enables lightweight design without compromising strength.

Vibration damping coefficient reaches 55% (under 100 MPa stress), exceeding aluminum alloys by over tenfold, making it ideal for shock-absorbing components.

Retains excellent low-temperature toughness with negligible mechanical degradation near absolute zero.

Combines superior electromagnetic shielding and thermal conductivity (10-30% higher than aluminum alloys).

Extrusion Processing

Core technical features of AZ80 extrusion include:

Warm extrusion (300-400°C) under confined conditions with high extrusion ratios (10:1–100:1) induces severe plastic deformation, eliminating casting defects and refining grains.

Multi-pass extrusion combined with aging treatment (170°C/16h) promotes strengthening phase precipitation, boosting strength by >30%.

Precise control of extrusion speed (0.5–5 m/min) and die temperature prevents grain coarsening.

Limitations: Material utilization rate (~85%) and anisotropic properties.

Process Optimization

Equal Channel Angular Pressing (ECAP) achieves ultrafine-grained structures.

Continuous extrusion enhances production efficiency.

Hybrid extrusion enables complex cross-section forming.

These advancements facilitate applications in precision instrument brackets and wearable device components, accelerating industrialization of wrought Mg alloys.

Automotive Wheel Application

AZ80 wheels achieve:

20–30% weight reduction (density: 2.0 g/cm³) vs. aluminum alloys, extending EV range by 5–8%.

Mechanical properties:compliant with UNECE R124 impact standards.

Topology-optimized thin-spoke designs (3.5 mm thickness) ensure >500,000 dynamic bending fatigue cycles.

Corrosion resistance: Microarc oxidation (20–50 μm ceramic layer) + eco-friendly fluorocarbon coating withstands 1,000-hour salt spray testing.

Manufacturing: 380°C isothermal forging with FEM-optimized material flow and <10 μm grain size improves fatigue strength by 40% vs. casting.

Adopted by BMW i8 and NIO ET7 for mass production, marking industrial maturity in automotive lightweighting.

Other Applications

Aerospace: Structural components, landing gear parts, engine brackets.

Automotive: Transmission housings, chassis components.

Sports: Bicycle frames, climbing carabiners, ski bindings.

Electronics: Lightweight enclosures, thermal management modules.