Abstract
Magnesium-based lightweight structural materials exhibit potential for energy savings. However, the state-of-the-art quest for novel compositions with improved properties through conventional bulk metallurgy is time, energy, and material intensive. Here, the opportunities provided by combinatorial thin film materials design for the sustainable development of magnesium alloys are evaluated. To characterise the impurity level of (Mg,Ca) solid solution thin films within grains and grain boundaries, scanning transmission electron microscopy and atom probe tomography are correlatively employed. It is demonstrated that control of the microstructure enables impurity levels similar to bulk-processed alloys. In order to substantially reduce time, energy, and material requirements for the sustainable development of magnesium alloys, we propose a three-stage materials design strategy: (1) Efficient and systematic investigation of composition-dependent phase formation by combinatorial film growth. (2) Correlation of microstructural features and mechanical properties for selected composition ranges by rapid alloy prototyping. (3) Establishment of synthesis–microstructure–property relationships by conventional bulk metallurgy.
Highlights
Magnesium-based lightweight structural materials exhibit potential for energy savings
As the intrinsic brittleness of magnesium hinders the application in structural systems, enhancement of the ductility is achieved through alloying approaches, where prominently aluminium, calcium and zinc are c onsidered[4]
The growth temperature was varied between homologous temperatures T* = T/Tmelt of 0.32 and 0.40 (100 °C temperature), respectively, and a region with a calcium concentration < 0.4 at% was selected for further analysis since such alloying levels are expected to result in the formation of bulk single-phase solid s olutions[4,5,7,8,9]
Summary
Magnesium-based lightweight structural materials exhibit potential for energy savings. Based on the previous paragraph, it is clear that combinatorial thin film materials design may provide opportunities for the sustainable screening of novel magnesium-based alloys by efficient and systematic investigation of the composition-dependent phase formation.
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