A Comparative Study on Microstructure, Mechanical and Tribological Properties of A4, AE41, AS41 and AJ41 Magnesium Alloys

Microstructure, tensile and wear properties of as-cast A4 (Mg-4Al), AE41 (Mg-4Al-0.5Ce-0.5La), AS41 (Mg-4Al-1Si) and AJ41 (Mg-4Al-1Sr) alloys were investigated, and the results were compared with each other in this study. Microstructures were investigated by XRD, optical and scanning electron microscopes. Tensile tests were conducted at both room and elevated temperatures. Tribological properties were examined by pin-on-disk wear tests under different applied loads. Microstructure characterizations revealed that the volume fraction of second phases considerably increased by alloying additions of 1 wt.% Ce/La, Si and Sr. The microstructure of A4 alloy consisted of alpha-Mg grains and divorced beta-Mg17Al12 phases. After individual alloying additions of 1 wt.% Ce/La, Si and Sr, the secondary phases were primarily replaced by needle-shaped and massive blocky-shaped Al-11(Ce,La)(3) phases in AE41 alloy, Chinese-script-type Mg2Si phases in AS41 alloy and divorced globular-like and massive blocky-shaped Al4Sr and (Mg,Al)(17)Sr-2 phases in AJ41 alloy. The tensile tests showed that at both room and elevated temperatures alloying additions of 1 wt.% Ce/La, Si and Sr resulted in an increase in the strength but a decrease in the ductility. Among the studied alloys, AS41 alloy exhibited the best strength. Wear test results showed that AE41 and AJ41 alloys similarly exhibited the best wear resistance owing to the presence of hard and dense intermetallics. Abrasion was the main wear mechanism under low applied loads while delamination, adhesion and oxidation mechanisms were majorly observed under high applied loads.