Development of innovative magnesium based composite formulations using disintegrated melt deposition methodology

Magnesium based materials are subject of extensive research investigations due to their ability to significantly reduce the weight of engineering devices. For example, magnesium has the capability to reduce 35% of the weight if it replaces aluminum in engineering applications. To make inroads in the weight-critical area currently dominated by aluminum based materials, it is important that new magnesium based materials to be developed with comparable or better properties than aluminum based materials and conventional magnesium alloys. To realize that, experimental investigations were made to reinforce magnesium with metallic particles such as copper, molybdenum, nickel and titanium. Disintegrated melt deposition coupled with hot extrusion was used as the processing methodology to produce near dense samples. Primary focus was to make matrix-reinforcement interface relatively more compatible and to enhance the properties as a result of that. Very interesting and promising results were obtained from these formulations.