Magnesium

The Super-light, Super-strong, Earth-friendly Super-metal

Magnesium is the lightest structural metal and is abundantly available in the earth’s crust and sea water (it’s the ninth most abundant element in the universe by mass). Magnesium is the third most commonly used structural metal, following steel and aluminum. With a density about one-fourth of steel and two-thirds of aluminum, magnesium provides excellent opportunities for lightweight applications in the transportation (land, air, and sea), power-tools, and 3C (computer, communication, and consumer products) industries. With a modulus close to that of human bones and unique bio-resorbability in the human body, magnesium is also emerging as a biomedical material.

Where is magnesium found?

Magnesium is produced from sea water, brines, and magnesium-bearing minerals, which offer unlimited reserves. Due to its widespread natural occurrence and the way it is harvested and processed, magnesium is considered the most eco-friendly and sustainable metal in the world. Magnesium can be 100% recycled, and it dissolves naturally, leaving no trace.

The Benefits of Magnesium

The lightest structural metal, magnesium has a density only slightly higher than that of plastics and glass/carbon fiber reinforced polymers.

It’s the lightest of all structural metals.
It possesses high impact resistance.
It has a high strength-to-weight ratio.
It can be cast to net shape (better castability than aluminum).
It has very high specific stiffness.
It provides very effective electromagnetic interference shielding without filters.
It has excellent heat dissipation. Thin-wall components optimize heat transfer more effectively than aluminum and plastic.
It presents one of the lowest carbon footprints throughout the value chain of any structural material.

100% Recyclable

75% Lighter than steel

50% Lighter than titanium

33% Lighter than aluminum

MAGNESIUM

Comparing Magnesium to Other Materials

Aluminum Steel Plastic Titanium

Magnesium vs. Aluminum

When it comes to performance, there’s less competition between magnesium and aluminum than you might think. Chief among the advantages is weight: With die cast parts made of magnesium weighing in at a third of those made with aluminum, engineers and designers alike can begin to take advantage of the many possibilities that magnesium offers. Additional benefits:

Has mechanical properties that are greater or very similar
Allows for less energy to be consumed throughout the production process
Provides increased resistance to corrosion than a majority of aluminum alloys
Has a damping capacity that is many times higher than aluminum

Provides casting die that tend toward longer life
Machines at a higher speed, allows for deeper cuts, and increased tooling lives
Allows for larger, thinner-wall, larger, and more complicated castings
Is lighter by 33% than aluminum

Magnesium vs. Steel

As performance standards continue to increase and designers and engineers alike demand more from their materials, magnesium is emerging as the go-to standard. This is especially true when it comes to comparing magnesium to steel. Magnesium allows for more complsigns without any decrease in strength. And throughout the die-cast production process less energy is required. Additional benefits:

Delivers a damping capacity that is many times higher than steel and iron
Offers parts consolidation that creates profoundly reduced tooling costs
Provides the opportunity to develop complex thin-walled near net shape casting that steel simply cannot do
Is lighter than steel by 75%

Allows individual components to be consolidated into a single die cast magnesium part. This provides a reduction in both time of assembly and welding costs while at the same time improving rigidity
Delivers better dimensional stability and superior repeatability

Magnesium vs. Plastic

Some engineers believe the benefits of plastics in lightweight applications is second-to-none. Magnesium, however, is being increasingly called on as more professionals become aware of die cast magnesium parts’ advantages, from increased dimensional stability to stiffness to electromagnetic shielding. Additional benefits:

Delivers higher temperature performance
Wears at a slower rate
Absorbs energy better
Resists impacts better

Magnesium doesn’t require the reinforcements that plastics do to achieve stiffness
Allows larger parts to be crafted with thinner-wall and enhanced net shape capability

Magnesium vs. Titanium

We’re all familiar with the many benefits that titanium alloys can deliver, from its high strength to density ratio to its corrosion resistance to its ability to high temperatures. But increasingly, magnesium is getting the nod from designers and engineers. Why? Being 60% lighter, for starters. Also, its ability to better spread heat. And, growing in importance, is magnesium’s inherent sustainability. Magnesium is abundant in both the earth’s crust and the ocean; titanium is not. Additional benefits:

Depending on application, can be stronger per unit volume
Offers improved heat spreading capabilities
Is lighter than titanium by 60%

Magnesium

Mechanical and Physical Properties of Various Structural Materials

	Alloy/Grade	Process/ Product	Density (d, g/cm3)	Elastic Modulus (E, GPa)	Yield Strength (YS, MPa)	Ultimate Tensile Strength (St, MPa)	Elongation (ef, %)	Fatigue Strength (Sf, MPa)	Thermal Cond. (l, W/m.K)	"Thermal Exp. Coeff. (d, µm/m.K)"	Melting Temp. (Tm, oC)
Allite Super Magnesium	AE81	Welding	1.82	44	232	352	20	--	69	27.0	500-610
	AE70	Welding	1.82	43	216	322	18	--	69	27.0	500-610
	ZE62	Forging	1.84	45	303	350	21	--	78	27.0	530-635
	WE54	Die Casting	1.84	44	213	298	20	--	78	27.0	530-635
Cast Mg	AZ91	Die Cast	1.81	45	160	240	3	85	51	26	598
Cast Mg	AM50	Die Cast	1.77	45	125	210	10	85	65	26	620
Wrought Mg	AZ80-T5	Extrusion	1.8	45	275	380	7	180	78	26	610
Wrought Mg	AZ31-H24	Sheet	1.77	45	220	290	15	120	77	26	630
Cast Iron	Class 40	Sand Cast	7.15	100	N/A	293	0	128	41	10.5	1175
Steel	Mild steel Grade 4	Sheet	7.8	210	180	320	45	125	46	11.7	1515
Steel	AHSS1 DP340/600	Sheet	7.8	210	340	600	23	228	--	--	--
Cast Al	380	Die Cast	2.68	71	159	324	3	138	96	22	595
Cast Al	A356-T6	P/M4 Cast	2.76	72	186	262	5	90	159	21.5	615
Wrought Al	6061-T6	Extrusion	2.7	69	275	310	12	95	167	23.6	652
Wrought Al	5182-H24/ 6111-T8X5	Sheet	2.7	70	235/230	310/320	8/20	120/186	123	24.1/23.4	638/585
Polymers (PC/ABS)	Dow Pulse 2000	Injection Molding	1.13	2.3	53	55	5 at yield and 125 at break	--	--	74	143 (softening temp.)
GFRP2 (glass/polyester)	Structural (50% uniaxial)	Liquid Molding	2	48	1240	--	< 1	N/A	0.6	12	130-160 (molding temp.)
GFRP2 (glass/polyester)	Exterior (27%)	Compression Molding	1.6	9	160	--	2	N/A	0.3	14	--
CFRP3 (carbon/epoxy)	Structural (58% uniaxial)	Liquid/Compression Molding	1.5	189	1050	--	< 1	N/A	0.5	2	175 (max. service temp.)
CFRP3 (carbon/epoxy)	Exterior (60%)	Autoclave Molding	1.5	56	712	--	< 1	N/A	0.5	4	--

Reintroducing Magnesium

The Super-light, Super-strong, Earth-friendly Super-metal

Where is magnesium found?

MAGNESIUM

The Benefits of Magnesium

MAGNESIUM

Comparing Magnesium to Other Materials

Magnesium vs. Aluminum

Magnesium vs. Steel

Magnesium vs. Plastic

Magnesium vs. Titanium

Magnesium

Mechanical and Physical Properties of Various Structural Materials

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