Alloying criteria and investigations on the properties of novel AM series alloy fabricated using stir casting

Abstract Magnesium alloys are being used in different sectors for several applications. The low density and high strength to weight ratio have made them indispensable. However, it is observed that Mg alloys are less preferred for the fabrication of critical and complex parts. The inferior mechanical and corrosive properties, along with high inflammability, limit their usage for several applications. The mechanical and physical properties can be enhanced by varying the weight percentage of alloying elements along with an appropriate process for its development. The paper discusses an approach for selection of the alloying elements and their weight percentage with the help of phase diagrams, vital inputs from past literature and properties of commercially available Mg alloys. The developed AM series alloy (Mg-7 wt%Al-0.9 wt%Mn) has shown improvement in the mechanical properties vis-a-vis the existing AM series alloys. The elastic modulus and hardness were observed 24.3% and 16.21% higher than the maximum values of existing AM alloys. For the development of alloy, a systemized stir casting setup was used, which ensured uniform mixing of alloying elements and essentially played an active role in enhancing the mechanical properties.