Development Trend of Magnesium Alloy Materials

Analysis of Market Demand Prospects for China's Advanced Magnesium Alloy Material Industry

High-performance rare earth magnesium lightweight structural alloy materials

Compared with ordinary magnesium alloy materials, high-performance rare earth magnesium lightweight structural alloy materials, with the addition of rare earths, have significant advantages such as high strength, good toughness, heat and corrosion resistance, solving the key problem that has hindered the widespread application of magnesium alloy materials. They are the key basic materials for promoting the development of lightweight in aviation, aerospace, automobile, rail transportation, and other fields in China. China has abundant magnesium and rare earth resources, mature alloy forming and processing technology, and a large market application space. The rare earth magnesium lightweight structural material industry system is complete and can achieve self-production and self-sales. For your information, we provide magnesium alloy for sale.

As a magnesium alloy products company, we pay close attention to the future market demand for high-performance rare earth magnesium lightweight structural alloy materials mainly focuses on: (1) the development and promotion of high-performance magnesium-rare earth master alloys and short-process low-cost preparation technology for rare earth magnesium alloys; (2) the development of new high-performance rare earth magnesium alloy materials for applications; (3) the research and development of advanced processing and forming technology and supporting equipment; (4) improving the green smelting and separation technology of rare earths and accelerating promotion and application; (5) conducting system research oriented to the material lifecycle and establishing a collaborative development platform for industry, academia, research, and application; and (6) accelerating the application speed of high-performance rare earth magnesium lightweight structural materials, achieving the transformation from military to civilian use within the next 3-5 years, gradually expanding the market scale, and replacing ordinary magnesium alloy materials by 30% by 2035.

High-strength and high-thermal conductivity magnesium alloy materials

With the continuous development of aviation, aerospace, new-generation weapons and equipment, high-speed trains, and new energy vehicles, the number and density of high-power density electromagnetic devices continue to increase. The heat generated during operation must be dissipated in a timely manner; otherwise, the high temperature will seriously affect the stability and reliability of the equipment operation, greatly reducing the service life of various equipment. Therefore, how to quickly and effectively dissipate the heat generated by the devices under the background of lightweight is an important problem that needs to be solved urgently.

The production of high-strength and high-thermal conductivity magnesium alloy materials and their products is an advanced basic material and key technology supporting the development of heat dissipation components in aircraft, high-speed trains, automobiles, computers, and other fields. It plays an important role in achieving the lightweight of the above-mentioned equipment, improving system operating stability and service life. By 2035, it will replace the usage of more than 30% of similar ordinary high-thermal conductivity alloy materials. Traditional high-thermal conductivity metals such as Ag and Cu are too dense (about 10.5g/cm3 and 8.9g/cm3, respectively) and expensive to meet actual application requirements. Magnesium alloy materials have the advantage of low density and are one of the potential material systems to meet application needs. However, the thermal conductivity of commonly used magnesium alloys still has a significant gap compared to aluminum alloys. Therefore, the preparation and processing technology of high-strength and high-thermal conductivity magnesium alloy materials and their products with thermal conductivity greater than 125W/(m·K) is the main direction of development in this field.

High-strength and high-electrical conductivity magnesium alloy materials

Mobile phones, global positioning systems (GPS)/Beidou satellite navigation systems, and broadband network systems can produce noise that affects communication quality due to high-frequency electromagnetic interference. Ordinary laptops are also susceptible to electromagnetic signal leakage when in use, which can result in information or data leakage. In addition, prolonged exposure to a strong electromagnetic field or close contact with an electromagnetic source can potentially induce cancerous lesions in the brain. Therefore, electromagnetic shielding is necessary to prevent electromagnetic waves emitted by electronic devices from affecting other devices and human beings, and also to protect the electronic device from interference by other devices. Good electromagnetic shielding performance is essential for the development of information appliances.

The electromagnetic shielding effect mainly depends on the conductivity of the outer shell material of the electromagnetic equipment. The better the conductivity, the better the corresponding electromagnetic shielding effect. Traditional highly conductive metals such as Ag and Cu are difficult to meet the application requirements of information appliances due to their high density and price. Therefore, there is an urgent need for heat dissipation materials with lower density than aluminum alloys and higher conductivity than commonly used aluminum alloys. Magnesium alloy materials have the advantage of low density and are one of the potential material systems that can meet the above requirements, but their conductivity is still significantly lower than that of aluminum alloys. Therefore, the preparation and processing technology of high-strength and high-conductivity magnesium alloy materials with a conductivity of >17 MS/m is the main direction for future development in this field, and plays an important role in reducing product weight, improving system operating safety, and protecting the health of related personnel. It is expected that by 2035, the amount of high-strength and high-conductivity magnesium alloy materials replacing similar ordinary materials will exceed 25%.

Ultra-high-strength magnesium alloy materials

Magnesium alloy in aircraft also have various functions. Ultra-high-strength magnesium alloy materials are advanced basic materials that support the continuous upgrading and development of high-end equipment such as aviation, aerospace, new-generation weapons and equipment, high-speed trains, and new energy vehicles. China is at the forefront of the world in the research and development and application of ultra-high-strength deformed magnesium alloys. However, from the perspective of further expanding the application of magnesium alloy materials, the existing high-strength magnesium alloy materials still have significant deficiencies in specific strength, specific stiffness, fracture toughness, and performance stability, which severely restricts the application of magnesium alloy materials in the above-mentioned fields and the improvement of their terminal product competitiveness. It is currently an urgent development issue that needs to be solved. The main direction for the development of magnesium alloy materials is ultra-high-strength magnesium alloy materials and their toughening deformation processing technology. It is expected that by 2035, the amount of ultra-high-strength magnesium alloy materials replacing similar ordinary materials will exceed 20%.

Mg-Al series, Mg-Zn series, and ZK series magnesium alloy materials

Magnesium alloys are widely used in various fields, and the most commonly used alloy series is the Mg-Al series alloy, particularly the AZ91 magnesium alloy which exhibits stable processing, low burnout, excellent mechanical properties at room temperature, and high strength and corrosion resistance. In the case of deformable magnesium alloys, the Mg-Zn series alloys are widely used, with excellent age-hardening behavior during heat treatment. Among this series, the ZM81 alloy exhibits better mechanical properties than Mg-Al alloys. The ZK series alloys are mainly Mg-Zn-Zr magnesium alloys and are one of the most widely used deformable magnesium alloys, with ZK61 magnesium alloy as a representative example. After high-temperature forming and artificial aging treatment, it has a tensile strength greater than 300 MPa, good plasticity, and corrosion resistance, good processability, and can manufacture large and complex-shaped forgings.

Light Rare Earth Mg-RE Series Magnesium Alloy Materials

China has the world's largest reserves of rare earth resources, with advantages in rare earth mining, smelting, and separation. However, the application of the 16 rare earth elements (excluding Pm) is unbalanced, resulting in the accumulation of light rare earths such as La and Ce. The development and application of Mg-RE series alloys, especially light rare earth magnesium alloys, can make full use of the advantages of La, Ce, and other rare earth elements in magnesium alloys.

Compared with Mg-Al and Mg-Zn series alloys, Mg-RE series alloys with rare earth element alloying exhibit more stable processing properties during casting and exhibit more excellent mechanical behavior in related experiments. The use of La and Ce in magnesium alloys is more mature in AE series magnesium alloys, mainly added in the form of mixed rare earths. Typical representatives include AE44 and AE41 magnesium alloys, which have excellent mechanical properties, especially elongation, far exceeding traditional non-rare earth magnesium alloys such as AZ91 and AM60. The good fluidity of Mg-RE series alloys makes them easy to die-cast, with significant price advantages and can meet the mass production requirements of civilian products such as automotive gearbox housings. In addition, the low solid solubility of light rare earths in Mg helps improve the thermal conductivity of magnesium alloys, making them ideal for use in structural components related to the fifth-generation mobile communication technology, electronic products, base stations, access network equipment, and other fields. The application development of high-performance light rare earth magnesium alloy materials for civilian markets will help promote the balanced application of rare earth elements, solve the accumulation problem of high-abundance rare earth elements such as La and Ce, expand the application of rare earths in new fields, accelerate the transformation and upgrading of the rare earth industry, and demonstrate the strategic value and supporting role of rare earth resources in China's high-tech industries.

New ultra-plastic magnesium alloy material

The new ultra-plastic magnesium alloy material has a relatively low production cost and high profits, and has a significant competitive advantage in the production and application of magnesium alloy materials. Previous studies have shown that the performance indicators of the new ultra-plastic magnesium alloy developed in China are superior to similar products produced in Japan, with high room temperature strength (tensile strength > 350MPa, yield strength > 250MPa) and strong superplastic deformation ability during stamping processes (medium and low-temperature elongation rate of 100% to 200%, high-temperature elongation rate of 700% to 800%). Further research on this type of material is needed to provide support for the development of aviation and aerospace technologies in the future.

New high-strength and high-plasticity cast magnesium alloy material

Cast magnesium alloy has excellent casting performance, processing and cutting performance, and high specific strength and specific stiffness. It has been widely used in the manufacture of structurally complex, large-volume thin-walled parts, such as aircraft skins, cabins, engine components, and other structures in the aviation and aerospace fields. With the continuous development of aviation, aerospace, automotive, and rail transit industries, the demand for lightweight, complex structural thin-walled parts is strong. Therefore, the development of new cast magnesium alloy materials with high flowability, excellent strength (tensile strength > 300MPa), and high plasticity (elongation > 10%) is of great significance.

Ultra-light Mg-Li alloy material

The density of Mg-Li alloy is 1.35-1.65g/cm3, which has ultra-light and high plasticity characteristics and is a kind of ultra-light alloy material. The United States has applied Mg-Li alloy to the manufacture of armored vehicles, non-structural and secondary structural components in the aerospace field, and Russia has made electrical instrument parts and shells for spacecraft using Mg-Li alloy. Japan uses Mg-Li alloy for electronic product casings and sound diaphragms, and China has recently applied Mg-Li alloy to the manufacture of satellite instrument housing components. In the future, with the deepening of research and the development of technology, ultra-light Mg-Li alloys will have more extensive applications in aerospace, automotive, computer, communication, and consumer electronics products.

High-performance high-temperature-resistant magnesium alloy

Currently, high-performance high-temperature-resistant magnesium alloys have been widely used in automotive engine hood covers, cylinder blocks, engine pistons, high-speed aircraft cabins, and other components. Most researchers in various countries are focusing on the performance control of Mg, Al, Zn-based alloys and the alloying behavior of rare earth elements for high-performance high-temperature-resistant magnesium alloys. Among them, the Mg-Gd series, as a representative of magnesium-rare earth alloy systems, has the best high-temperature mechanical properties. Currently, the problem of simultaneously improving strength and plasticity needs to be addressed, and specific measures include controlling the morphology distribution of precipitated phases, refining the structure, and reducing impurity content. In addition, the casting performance of magnesium alloys should be emphasized, and the mechanical and casting performance should be considered comprehensively during alloy design. In terms of performance indicators, ultra-high-strength (strength> 400MPa) and heat-resistant (operating temperature> 250℃) magnesium alloys are a critical type of material that the country urgently needs to research and develop. As technology continues to develop, high-performance high-temperature-resistant magnesium alloys will have more extensive applications in automotive powertrain components, aerospace aircraft, and other fields.