Magnesium Alloy Use: One of the Star Materials in the Future Metal Industry!

From the earliest primitive tools of humans to the first attempts at flight, we have always been searching for lightweight and strong materials. Especially in the design of products such as automobiles and aircraft, where safety and reliability are paramount concerns, metal materials are undoubtedly the preferred choice. However, the weight of steel has undoubtedly made designers feel frustrated. Is there a metal that can meet the demand for lightweight design? Magnesium (alloy) is the best choice.

Magnesium (Mg) is the eighth most abundant element in the Earth's crust, 33% lighter than aluminum, 60% lighter than titanium, and 75% lighter than steel. Magnesium alloys, composed of other elements, also have outstanding advantages such as small density, high specific strength, large elastic modulus, good thermal conductivity and shock absorption, strong electromagnetic shielding performance, good biocompatibility, and ease of recycling. It is known as the "21st-century green structural material" and is touted by many industry experts as one of the star materials of the future metal industry.

In the face of the increasingly prominent issues of energy and environment in today's world, common magnesium alloys are being widely used in industries such as the automotive industry, telecommunications and electronics industry, and aerospace industry.And we do have magnesium alloy for sale. China is one of the countries with the richest magnesium resources in the world, with usable magnesium ore production accounting for about 70% of the world's total reserves, giving it a significant resource advantage in the development of the magnesium materials industry.

The density of pure magnesium is 1.738 g/cm3, and the density of magnesium alloys is only 1.75-1.90 g/cm3, about two-thirds that of aluminum alloys and one-fourth that of steel. The specific strength of magnesium alloys is significantly higher than that of aluminum alloys and steel, and the stiffness is comparable to that of aluminum alloys, far exceeding that of engineering plastics.

1. Application of Mg alloys in the automotive industry

In the context of the current rapid development of the automotive industry, especially the new energy vehicle industry, using magnesium alloys for structural components can significantly reduce the weight of the vehicle, effectively reduce fuel consumption, improve fuel economy, and reduce pollution emissions.

The most potential application of magnesium alloy metal in automobiles is the integral structural components, such as the steering wheel, engine hood, trunk lid, roof panel, body reinforcement plate, inner door frame, and rear compartment partition. Some high-strength and heat-resistant magnesium alloys can even be used for engine cylinder blocks and car wheels.

Compared with aluminum alloys, steel, and iron, Mg alloys including mg az91d have a lower elastic modulus and can consume more deformation energy under the same stress conditions, with noise reduction and vibration reduction functions and can withstand larger impact and vibration loads.

2. Application of magnesium alloys in aerospace

These characteristics of magnesium metal alloys can meet the requirements of lightweight materials, noise reduction, shock absorption, and radiation protection in high-tech fields such as aerospace, thereby improving the aerodynamic performance of aircraft and significantly reducing structural weight. 

Since the 1940s, magnesium metal alloys have been first used in the aerospace industry. The B-36 heavy bomber used 4086kg of magnesium alloy sheets for each plane; the starter rocket "Hercules" of the "Dehli-Nain" spacecraft used 600kg of deformable magnesium alloy; the "Jiskarvieler" satellite used 675kg of deformable magnesium alloy; and the "Vichy" rocket casing with a diameter of about 1 meter was also made of extruded magnesium alloy tubes. And we have a reasonable magnesium alloy price per pound.

3. Mg alloys have good thermal and electrical conductivity

Although the thermal conductivity of magnesium alloys is not as good as that of aluminum alloys, it is much higher than that of plastics and resins. At the same time, Mg alloys have good electromagnetic shielding performance and are very suitable for manufacturing metal casings and covers for electronic products.

Some well-known electronic communication brands have successfully used magnesium alloys to manufacture metal casings for personal portable computers, mobile phones, cameras, and other electronic products.

In 2003, the proportion of laptops with aluminum and plastic casings in global shipments reached 75%, while the proportion of those using magnesium metal alloy was only 25%. However, in 2004, the proportion of laptops using Mg alloy casings increased to over 50%.