Influence of low level Ag additions on Mg-alloy AZ91

Abstract

The influence of low-level silver (Ag) additions (0.12 and 0.5 wt%) to magnesium alloy AZ91 were studied in terms of electrochemical response and hardness. These properties were reconciled with microstructural analyses, indicating that 0.12 wt% Ag was capable of imparting an increment in hardness, with no significant increase in electrochemical corrosion kinetics, whilst 0.5 wt% Ag resulted in formation of an Mg4Ag phase which increased cathodic kinetics concomitant with lowered alloy hardness. Low level silver (Ag) additions of 0.12 and 0.5 wt% to magnesium alloy AZ91 reveal that micro-alloying with Ag was capable of imparting an increment in hardness, with no significant increase in electrochemical corrosion kinetics. The alloy properties were reconciled with microstructural analyses and atom probe tomography. Show more