Magnesium alloys for structural applications ; recent advances

Abstract
Magnesium alloys possess unique properties, which when fully exploited can open up for major inroads into important markets for structural applications. A density of 2/3 that of Al, and only slightly higher than for fibre reinforced plastics, combined with excellent mechanical and physical properties as well as processability and recyclability, make magnesium alloys an obvious choice when designing for light weight. The paper summarizes some basic aspects of magnesium alloying practice, and describes the main commercial alloys. A selection of special developments are described with emphasis on the interaction between material properties and processing parameters.