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In this study, the nano-TiC/AZ61 composites with different heterogeneous bimodal grain (HBG) structures and uniform structure are obtained by regulating the extrusion speed. The effect of HBG structure on the mechanical properties of the composites is investigated. The increasing ductility and toughening mechanism of HBG magnesium matrix composites are carefully discussed. When the extrusion speed increases from 0.75 mm/s to 2.5 mm/s or 3.5 mm/s, the microstructure transforms from uniform to HBG structure. Compared with Uniform-0.75 mm/s composite, Heterogeneous-3.5 mm/s composite achieves a 116.7% increase in ductility in the plastic deformation stage and almost no reduction in ultimate tensile strength. This is mainly because the lower plastic deformation inhomogeneity and higher strain hardening due to hetero-deformation induced (HDI) hardening. Moreover, Heterogeneous-3.5 mm/s composite achieves a 108.3% increase in toughness compared with the Uniform-0.75 mm/s composite. It is mainly because coarse grain (CG) bands can capture and blunt cracks, thereby increasing the energy dissipation for crack propagation and improving toughness. In addition, the CG band of the Heterogeneous-3.5 mm/s composite with larger grain size and lower dislocation density is more conducive to obtaining higher strain hardening and superior blunting crack capability. Thus, the increased ductility and toughness of the Heterogeneous-3.5 mm/s composite is more significant than that Heterogeneous-2.5 mm/s composite.

The present work reports the creep behavior and microstructural evolution of the sand-cast Mg–14Gd–0.4Zr alloy (wt.%) prepared by the differential pressure casting machine. Their compressive creep tests at 250 °C were performed under various applied stresses (i.e., 60, 80 and 100 MPa). Among them, the sand-cast Mg–14Gd–0.4Zr samples examined under 250 °C/80 MPa for 39 and 95 h, respectively, were chosen to systemically analyze their creep mechanisms using high-angle annular dark field-scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM). The obtained results showed that the enhancement of creep resistance can be mainly attributed to the coherent β' and β'F phases with an alternate distribution, effectively impeding the basal dislocations movement. However, with the creep time increasing, the fine β'+β'F precipitate chains coarsened and transformed to semi-coherent β1 phase and even to large incoherent β phase (surrounded by precipitate-free areas) in grain interiors. The precipitate-free zones (PFZs) at grain boundaries (GBs) were formed, and they could expand during creep deformation. Apart from the main cross-slip of basal and prismatic dislocations, type dislocations were activated and tended to distribute near the GBs. The aforementioned phenomena induced the stress concentrations, consequently leading to the increment of the creep strain.

In this study, the recycled short carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced magnesium matrix composites were fabricated using a combination of stir casting and hot extrusion. The objective was to investigate the impact of CF content (2.5 and 5.0 wt.%) and fiber length (100 and 500 µm) on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and creep behavior of AZ91 alloy matrix. The microstructural analysis revealed that the CFs aligned in the extrusion direction resulted in grain and intermetallic refinement within the alloy. In comparison to the unreinforced AZ91 alloy, the composites with 2.5 wt.% CF exhibited an increase in hardness by 16–20% and yield strength by 5–15%, depending on the fiber length, while experiencing a reduction in ductility. When the reinforcement content was increased from 2.5 to 5.0 wt.%, strength values exhibited fluctuations and decline, accompanied by decreased ductility. These divergent outcomes were discussed in relation to fiber length, clustering tendency due to higher reinforcement content, and the presence of interfacial products with micro-cracks at the CF-matrix interface. Tensile creep tests indicated that CFs did not enhance the creep resistance of extruded AZ91 alloy, suggesting that grain boundary sliding is likely the dominant deformation mechanism during creep.

Magnesium (Mg) and graphene in alloy formulations are of paramount importance for lightweight engineering applications. In the present study, ZE10 Mg-alloy-based nanocomposites reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) having a thickness of 10–20 nm were fabricated via ultrasound-assisted stir casting. The effect of GNP contents (0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 wt.%) on the microstructure, Vickers hardness, and tensile properties of nanocomposites was investigated. Further, tribological studies were performed under a ball-on-disc sliding wear configuration against a bearing ball counterbody, at room and elevated temperatures of 100 °C and 200 °C, to comprehend temperature-induced wear mechanisms and friction evolution. It was revealed that the GNP addition resulted in grain coarsening and increased porosity rate of the Mg alloy. While the composites exhibited improved hardness by 20–35% at room temperature and 100 °C, a minor change was observed in their hardness and tensile yield strength values at 200 °C with respect to the GNP-free alloy. A notable improvement in lowering and stabilizing friction (coefficient of friction at 200 °C~0.25) and wear values was seen for the self-lubricating GNP-added composites at all sliding temperatures. The worn surface morphology indicated a simultaneous occurrence of abrasive and adhesive wear mode in all samples at room temperature and 100 °C, while delamination and smearing along with debris compaction (tribolayer protection) were the dominant mechanisms of wear at 200 °C. Inclusively, the results advocate steady frictional conditions, improved wear resistance, and favorable wear-protective mechanisms for the Mg alloy–GNP nanocomposites at room and elevated temperatures.

The present study seeks the feasibility of using short carbon fibres recycled from polymer matrix composites as alternative to virgin carbon fibres in the reinforcement of magnesium alloys. The microstructures, high temperature mechanical and creep properties of AZ91 alloy and its composites with various recycled carbon fibre contents (2.5 and 5 wt.%) and lengths (100 and 500 μm) were investigated in the temperature range of 25–200 °C. The microstructural characterization showed that the high shear dispersion technique provided the cast composites with finer grains and relatively homogenous distribution of fibres. The materials tested displayed different behaviour depending on the type of loading. In general, while enhancements in the mechanical properties of composites is attributed to the load bearing and grain refinement effects of fibres, the fluctuations in the properties were discussed on the basis of porosity formation, relatively high reinforcement content leading to fibre clustering and interlayer found between the matrix and reinforcement compared to those of AZ91 alloy. The compressive creep tests revealed similar or higher minimum creep rates in the recycled carbon fibre reinforced AZ91 in comparison to the unreinforced AZ91.

In this work, the microstructure, mechanical properties, and corrosion behavior of the Mg-1Zn-0.6Ca matrix alloy (ZX10), reinforced by adding various amounts of nanodiamond particles (0.5, 1, and 2 wt.%), prepared by the ultrasound-assisted stir-casting method, were investigated as they are deemed as potential implant materials in biomedical applications. Microstructure, nanoindentation, mechanical tensile, immersion, and potentiodynamic polarization tests were performed for evaluating the influence of the addition of nanodiamond particles on the alloy’s mechanical and biocorrosion properties. The results revealed that the addition of nanodiamond particles causes a reduction in the alloy’s grain size. The alloy’s nanohardness and elastic modulus values increased when the amount of added nanodiamond particles were increased. The nanocomposite with an addition of 0.5% ND showed the best composition with regard to an acceptable corrosion rate as the corrosion rates are too high with higher additions of 1 or 2% NDs. At the same time, the yield strength, tensile strength, and elongation improved slightly compared to the matrix alloy.

The initial stages of AM60-AlN nanocomposite and AM60 corrosion behaviors were compared over 30 days of exposure to solution (NaCl, Na2SO4 and NaHCO3), simulating the marine-coastal environment (SME). The incorporation of AlN nanoparticles (1.0 wt.%) in the AM60 alloy matrix favored the lower roughness of the AM60-AlN, associated with the grain refinement in the matrix. During the immersion of the alloys, pH of the SME solution shifted to alkaline values >9, and therefore, the solubility of AlN aluminum hydroxide phases were raised, followed by a slightly higher release of Mg-ions and corrosion rate increase. The chloride ions attributed to the unstability of the Al-Mn phase and Al(OH)3 corrosion product was formed in a low content. The composite AM60-AlN presented lower value of the electrochemical noise resistance (Rn), suggesting that the corrosion process occurs with less difficulty. The localized corrosion near the Al-Mn cathodes seems to be stronger on the composite surface, in area and depth of penetration. The corrosion current fluctuations suggested that the corrosion is a weakly persistent process, dominated by the fractional Gaussian noise (fGn).

Lightweight structural materials are increasingly sought after in the automotive and aerospace industries for their potential to improve fuel efficiency. Magnesium-based metal-matrix composites are potential candidates for these kinds of applications. The use of recycled carbon fibres offers further energy and cost savings. The recycled carbon fibre composites were manufactured by stir casting with high-dispersion shearing, then were extruded and subsequently heat treated. The compressive deformation mechanisms of the composites compared to AZ91 were investigated using in situ synchrotron radiation diffraction. An increase in ultimate compressive strength was achieved in the composites compared to AZ91. The deformation mechanisms active in the composites were similar to those in AZ91. Magnesium alloys in compression typically show extensive twinning; this was observed in AZ91 and the AZ91 composites. The stress required for twinning onset was increased in the composites, and the twin volume fraction at failure was decreased compared to AZ91.

Novel magnesium-based materials are ideal candidates for use in future aviation vehicles because they are extremely light and can therefore significantly increase the range of these vehicles. They show very good castability, are easy to machine and can be shaped into profiles or forgings to be used as components for next generation aerial vehicle construction. In the case of a large number of identical components, high-pressure die casting of magnesium alloys is clearly superior to high-pressure die casting of aluminum alloys. This is due to the lower solubility of iron in magnesium and thus tool/casting life is significantly longer. In addition, the die filling times for magnesium high-pressure die casting are approximately 30% shorter. This is due to the lower density: aluminum alloys are approximately 50% heavier than magnesium alloys, which is a significant disadvantage for aluminum alloys especially in the aerospace industry. There are cost-effective novel die casting alloys, besides AZ91 or AM50/60 such as DieMag633 or MRI230D, which show very good specific strength at room and elevated temperatures. In the case of magnesium-based wrought alloys, the choice is smaller, a typical representative of these materials is AZ31, but some new alloys based on Mg-Zn-Ca are currently being developed which show improved formability. However, magnesium alloys are susceptible to environmental influences, which can be eliminated by suitable coatings. Novel corrosion protection concepts for classical aerial vehicles currently under development might suitable but may need adaption to the construction constraints or to vehicle dependent exposure scenarios. Within this mini-review a paradigm change due to utilization of new magnesium materials as drone construction material is briefly introduced and future fields of applications within next-generation aerial vehicles, manned or unmanned, are discussed. Possible research topics will be addressed.

Metal matrix nanocomposites are attracting attention because of their great potential for improved mechanical properties and possible functionalization. These hybrid materials are often produced by casting processes, but they can also develop their property profile after hot working, e.g., by forging or extrusion. In this study, a commercial cast magnesium alloy AM60 was enriched with 1 wt.% AlN nanoparticles and extruded into round bars with varied extrusion rates. The same process was carried out with unreinforced AM60 in order to determine the influences of the AlN nanoparticles in direct comparison. The influence of extrusion speed on the recrystallization behavior as well the effect of nanoparticles on the microstructure evolution and the particle-related strengthening are discussed and assessed with respect to the resulting mechanical performance.

In addition to AZ- and AM-series magnesium alloys, which are mainly used at ambient temperature, there are also die-cast magnesium alloys developed for use at elevated temperatures. This paper examines the compressive creep resistance of several aluminum-containing magnesium high-pressure die-cast alloys, including the commercially available AE42, AE44-2, AE44-4, MRI230D alloys and newly developed DieMag series, i.e., DieMag211, DieMag422, and DieMag633. Compressive creep is the common load case for automotive powertrain components such as transmission housings, engine blocks or oil pans, which are typically mounted with steel or aluminum bolts that have lower thermal expansion than magnesium alloys. When the components heat up, there is a compressive load in the area around the bolt. The compressive creep experiments are accompanied by microstructure investigations. It is shown that MRI230D and the two high-concentrated DieMag alloys have the best creep resistance at 200°C. Similar results are also observed in the tensile tests at room temperature and 150°C, with DieMag633 showing outstanding strength.

The present work compared the initial stages of corrosion process development on the AM60-AlN metal matrix nanocomposite surface and on AM60, during their exposure for 30 days to simulated acid rain solution (SAR). The AlN nanoparticles were observed as “attached” to those of Mn-rich AlMn intermetallic particles, forming clusters. The introduction of 1.0 wt.% AlN (≈ 80 nm) in the AM60 alloy carried a slight grain refinement and favored the formation of a denser and more protective corrosion layer, suggested by the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) values of higher charge transfer resistance (R2) and capacitance, characteristic of the double layer in the presence of corrosion products, and also suggested by Rn (EN) values, compared to those of the AM60 alloy. Thus, the concentration of the released Mg-ions from the composite surface was lower. Due to the increase in time of the SAR solution pH, Al de-alloying may occur, as well as Al(OH)3 formation, as confirmed by XPS analysis. Due to the presence of Cl-ions in SAR solution, localized corrosion was observed, suggested as fractional Gaussian noise of a stationary and persistent process in time, according to the PSD of the corrosion current fluctuations (EN).

Metal matrix nanocomposites (MMNCs) with a light metal matrix are hybrid materials that have recently become the focus of interest for materials scientists and industry [...]

Previous investigations indicate that the creep resistance of magnesium alloys is proportional to the stability of precipitated intermetallic phases at grain boundaries. These stable intermetallic phases were considered to be effective to suppress the deformation by grain boundary sliding, leading to the improvement of creep properties. Based on this point, adding the alloying elements to form the stable intermetallics with high melting point became a popular way to develop the new creep resistant magnesium alloys. The present investigation, however, shows that the creep properties of binary Mg–Sn alloy are still poor even though the addition of Sn possibly results in the precipitation of thermal stable Mg2Sn at grain boundaries. That means other possible mechanisms function to affect the creep response. It is finally found that the poor creep resistance is attributed to the segregation of Sn at dendritic and grain boundaries. Based on this observation, new approaches to improve the creep resistance are suggested for magnesium alloys because most currently magnesium alloys have the commonality with the Mg–Sn alloys.

A pure Mg and a ZW0303 alloy metal matrix nanocomposite reinforced with AlN nanoparticles were prepared assisted by mechanical stirring and sonication for deagglomeration of particles. The produced nanocomposites were investigated to determine the influence of the AlN nanoparticles during indirect extrusion on the microstructure and texture development, as well as the resulting hardness and mechanical properties. For pure Mg, grain refinement and hardness increase due to the addition of AlN were revealed in the as-cast and the extruded condition. For ZW0303, the same was found for the as-cast condition. However, contamination of the alloy with Al significantly changes the recrystallization behavior during extrusion. This is directly related to the removal of solute Y due to the formation of intermetallic particles. Particle and grain size effects were distinguished for this alloy.

Lightweight high-strength metal matrix nano-composites (MMNCs) can be used in a wide variety of applications, e.g., aerospace, automotive, and biomedical engineering, owing to their sustainability, increased specific strength/stiffness, enhanced elevated temperature strength, improved wear, or corrosion resistance. A metallic matrix, commonly comprising of light aluminum or magnesium alloys, can be significantly strengthened even by very low weight fractions (~1 wt%) of well-dispersed nanoparticles. This review discusses the recent advancements in the fabrication of metal matrix nanocomposites starting with manufacturing routes and different nanoparticles, intricacies of the underlying physics, and the mechanisms of particle dispersion in a particle-metal composite system. Thereafter, the microstructural influences of the nanoparticles on the composite system are outlined and the theory of the strengthening mechanisms is also explained. Finally, microstructural, mechanical, and tribological properties of the selected MMNCs are discussed as well.

Magnesium-based metal matrix nanocomposites (MMNCs) are an important topic in the development of lightweight structural materials, because their optimized properties are of great interest to the automotive and aerospace industries. Moreover, components with functional properties will also be manufactured from Mg-MMNCs in the future. With a large surface to volume ratio, nanoparticles in the magnesium matrix have an immense effect on mechanical properties, even at low concentrations. The mechanical properties of these materials can be tailored using ceramic nanoparticles, which have been available at a very low cost for a number of years. However, the particle concentration, chemical composition, particle size, and process parameters must be attuned to the respective alloy, in order to influence the resulting properties. When using very small particles, a major problem is to homogeneously distribute the particles in the melt. Due to their large surface area, strong van der Waals forces act to hold the particles together in clusters. At the same time, wettability of the particles with a magnesium melt is very poor. Ultrasonic stirring processes have proven their effectiveness in the de-agglomeration and dispersion of nanoparticles. This review presents ultrasound-assisted processes for the production of these materials and describes some properties of the resulting Mg-MMNCs.

With a view to design connected processing steps for the manufacturing of components, the hot working behavior of the ABaX422 alloy has been characterized for the as-cast and extruded conditions. In the as-cast condition, the alloy has a limited workability, due to the presence of a large volume of intermetallic phases at the grain boundaries, and is not suitable to process at high speeds. A connected processing step has been designed on the basis of the results of the processing map for the as-cast alloy, and this step involves the extrusion of the cast billet to obtain a 12 mm diameter rod product at a billet temperature of 390 °C and at a ram speed of 1 mm s−1. The microstructure of the extruded rod has a finer grain size, with redistributed fine particles of the intermetallic phases. The processing map of the extruded rod exhibited two new domains, and the one in the temperature range 360–420 °C and strain rate range 0.2–10 s−1 is useful for manufacturing at high speeds, while the lower temperature develops a finer grain size in the product to improve the room temperature strength and ductility. The area of the flow instability is also reduced by the extrusion step, widening the workability window.

The occurrence of dynamic recrystallization (DRX) and its effect on the evolution of texture during uniaxial compression of a creep-resistant cast Mg-4Al-2Ba-2Ca alloy in the temperature range of 260–500 °C and strain rate range of 0.0003–10 s−1 has been studied using transmission electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction techniques with a view to understand its mechanism. For this purpose, a processing map has been developed for this alloy, which revealed two domains of DRX in the temperature and strain rate ranges of: (1) 300–390 °C/0.0003–0.001 s−1 and (2) 400–500 °C/0.0003–0.5 s−1. In Domain 1, DRX occurs by basal slip and recovery by dislocation climb, as indicated by the presence of planar slip bands and high dislocation density leading to tilt boundary formation and a low-intensity basal texture. On the other hand, DRX in Domain 2 occurs by second order pyramidal slip and recovery by cross-slip since the microstructure revealed tangled dislocation structure with twist boundaries and randomized texture. The high volume content of intermetallic phases Mg21Al3Ba2 and (Al,Mg)2Ca eutectic phase is considered to be responsible for the observed hot deformation behavior.

The compressive strength and creep resistance of cast Mg-6Al-3Ba-3Ca (ABaX633) alloy has been measured in the temperature range of 25 to 250 °C, and compared with that of its predecessor ABaX422. The alloy is stronger and more creep-resistant than ABaX422, and exhibits only a small decrease of yield stress with temperature. The higher strength of ABaX633 is attributed to a larger volume fraction of intermetallic particles (Al, Mg)2Ca and Mg21Al3Ba2 in its microstructure. Hot deformation mechanisms in ABaX633 have been characterized by developing a processing map in the temperature and strain rate ranges of 300 to 500 °C and 0.0003 to 10 s−1. The processing map exhibits two workability domains in the temperature and strain rate ranges of: (1) 380 to 475 °C and 0.0003 to 0.003 s−1, and (2) 480–500 °C and 0.003 to 0.5 s−1. The apparent activation energy values estimated in the above two domains (204 and 216 kJ/mol) are higher than that for lattice self-diffusion of Mg, which is attributed to the large back-stress that is caused by the intermetallic particles. Optimum condition for bulk working is 500 °C and 0.01 s−1 at which hot workability will be maximum. Flow instability is exhibited at lower temperatures and higher strain rates, as well as at higher temperatures and higher strain rates. The predictions of the processing map on the workability domains, as well as the instability regimes are fully validated by the forging of a rib-web (cup) shaped component under optimized conditions.

Cast Mg–1Zn–1Ca alloy (ZX11) has been tested to evaluate its compressive strength between 25 °C and 250 °C, and workability in the range of 260–500 °C. The ultimate compressive strength of this alloy is about 30% higher than that of creep-resistant alloy Mg–3Sn–2Ca (TX32) between 25 °C and 200 °C, and exhibits a plateau between 100 °C and 175 °C, similar to TX32. This is attributed to Mg2Ca particles present at grain boundaries that reduce their sliding. The processing map, developed between 260 and 420 °C in the strain rate limits of 0.0003 s−1 to 1 s−1, exhibited two domains in the ranges: (1) 280–330 °C and 0.0003–0.01 s−1 and (2) 330–400 °C and 0.0003–0.1 s−1. In these domains, dynamic recrystallization occurs, with basal slip dominating in the first domain and prismatic slip in the second, while the recovery mechanism being climb of edge dislocations in both. The activation energy estimated using standard kinetic rate equation is 191 kJ/mol, which is higher than the value for lattice self-diffusion in magnesium indicating that a large back stress is created by the presence of Ca2Mg6Zn3 intermetallic particles in the matrix. It is recommended that the alloy be best processed at 380 °C and 0.1 s−1 at which prismatic slip is favored due to Zn addition. At higher strain rates, the alloy exhibits flow instability and adiabatic shear band formation at 400 °C.

An AM60 magnesium alloy nanocomposite reinforced with 1 wt % of AlN nanoparticles was prepared using an ultrasound (US) assisted permanent-mould indirect-chill casting process. Ultrasonically generated cavitation and acoustic streaming promoted de-agglomeration of particle clusters and distributed the particles throughout the melt. Significant grain refinement due to nucleation on the AlN nanoparticles was accompanied by an exceptional improvement in properties: yield strength increased by 103%, ultimate tensile strength by 115%, and ductility by 140%. Although good grain refinement was observed, the large nucleation undercooling of 14 K limits further refinement because nucleation is prevented by the formation of a nucleation-free zone around each grain. To assess the industrial applicability and recyclability of the nanocomposite material in various casting processes, tests were performed to determine the effect of remelting on the microstructure. With each remelting, a small percentage of effective AlN nanoparticles was lost, and some grain growth was observed. However, even after the third remelting, excellent strength and ductility was retained. According to strengthening models, enhanced yield strength is mainly attributed to Hall-Petch strengthening caused by the refined grain size. A small additional contribution to strengthening is attributed to Orowan strengthening.

Performances of metal matrix composites (MMCs) rely strongly on the distribution of particles within the metal matrix but also on the chemical reaction which may occur at the liquid-solid interfaces. This paper presents the chemical reaction between aluminum based particles Al2O3 and Al2O3-AlOOH with magnesium alloys matrixes AZ91 and EL21, respectively, and studies the microstructure of these reinforced composites. Different methods such as transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and XRD were used to highlight these chemical reactions and to identify products. Results demonstrate the formation of MgO particles within the matrix for both composites and also the dissolution of aluminum in the eutectic region in the case of EL21.

Magnesium alloys have been used in the automotive industry and 3C (computer, communication, and consumer electronics) for many years. Their room temperature properties combined with their low density offer a wide range of applications, especially when processed by High Pressure Die Casting (HPDC). The use of magnesium alloys at higher temperatures is well-studied; special creep resistant alloys containing the rare earth elements silver or yttrium are needed. However, when it comes to very low temperatures, only a few studies have been performed to determine the property-microstructure relationship. The possible fields of application at low temperatures are aerospace and satellite parts and tanks for liquefied gases. This review shall not only examine mechanical properties at low temperatures, but also the permanent effects of cyclic or long-lasting cryogenic treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties. It was found that cryogenic treatment is able to influence the precipitate concentration and grain orientation in some magnesium alloys. Reduction in the number of brittle phases is improving ductility in some cases. It is well-known that high speed tool steels, in particular, can be influenced by cryogenic treatment. Whether this is possible with magnesium alloys and what the mechanisms are shall be reviewed.