CHARACTERIZATION OF EXTRUDED Mg-5%wt.Al-x%wt.Mn ALLOYS

Magnesium and its alloys are being attractive for employment in the fields like aerospace, electronic and automobile industries for weight reduction and higher fuel efficiency.

Unfortunately, magnesium alloys have limited corrosion resistance, which restricts their use in many industrial applications. Al improves the corrosion resistance of Mg alloys due to the fact that Mg and Al form intermetallic compounds, Mg₁₇Al₁₂. But, the effect of small addition amount (such as 5 wt.%) of aluminum in the Mg alloy is still questionable as the corrosion resistance of Mg alloys is improved only at higher Al concentrations. The aim of this study was to improve the corrosion resistance of Mg-5Al alloys by adding a small amount of Mn (0.5, 0.7 and 1%), which can improve the corrosion resistance of Mg-5Al alloys. The microstructure and electrochemical properties of the Mg-5Al alloy containing the Mn was evaluated. The effects of Mn addition on the structure and electrochemical properties were examined in detail.