USAMP Magnesium Powertrain Cast Components: Fundamental research summary

The Magnesium Powertrain Cast Components (MPCC) Project is an effort, jointly sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Automotive Materials Partnership (USAMP), to demonstrate the readiness of magnesium for use in powertrain applications by testing a set the magnesium-intensive engines which were designed, cast, and assembled. A second MPCC goal is to promote new and strengthen existing magnesium scientific research in North America. The project investigated several of the newly developed high-temperature (creep-resistant) magnesium alloys, which will potentially experience service conditions in the temperature range of 150–200°C and about 50–110 MPa in stresses (typical powertrain). However, the mechanical and physical behaviors of these new alloys are not fully understood. This article outlines MPCC-supported fundamental scientific research into the workings of these new alloys. The areas of research are: phase equilibrium and computational thermodynamics, creep deformation mechanisms, corrosion, hot tearing, and alloy recycling.

[1]  Tresa M. Pollock,et al.  Structure and transition of eutectic (Mg,Al)2Ca Laves phase in a die-cast Mg–Al–Ca base alloy , 2004 .

[2]  Hui Zhang,et al.  Thermodynamic modeling of Mg–Ca–Ce system by combining first-principles and CALPHAD method , 2008 .

[3]  Bob R. Powell,et al.  Fundamental research needs for the magnesium powertrain cast components (MPCC) project , 2004 .

[4]  T. Pollock,et al.  Solidification paths and eutectic intermetallic phases in Mg-Al-Ca ternary alloys , 2005 .

[5]  Tresa M. Pollock,et al.  Phase equilibria in the Mg-Al-Ca ternary system at 773 and 673 K , 2006 .

[6]  Zi-kui Liu,et al.  Thermodynamic modeling of the Ca-Sn system based on finite temperature quantities from first-principles and experiment , 2006 .

[7]  G. Shen,et al.  Finite Element Simulation of Bolted Joints and Magnesium Bolt-Load Retention Behaviour , 2007 .

[8]  Tresa M. Pollock,et al.  Effect of Sr additions on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg-Al-Ca alloys , 2006 .

[9]  E. Lara‐Curzio,et al.  Effect of Sr Additions on the Microstructure and Strength of a Mg-Al-Ca Ternary Alloy , 2007 .

[10]  Tresa M. Pollock,et al.  Solidification and Microstructure of Mg ‐ Al ‐ (Ca, Sr, Ce, La) Ternary Alloys , 2014 .

[11]  Tresa M. Pollock,et al.  Creep behavior of permanent mold cast Mg-Al-Ca based alloys , 2007 .

[12]  Tresa M. Pollock,et al.  Precipitation strengthening of a Mg-Al-Ca based die-cast alloy with Al 2Ca phase , 2007 .

[13]  Suyitno,et al.  Mechanical properties in the semi-solid state and hot tearing of aluminium alloys , 2004 .