High performance Mg-system alloys for weight saving applications: First year results from the green metallurgy EU project

The GREEN METALLURGY Project, a LIFE+ project co-financed by the EU Commission, has just concluded its first year. The Project seeks to set manufacturing processes at a pre-industrial scale for nanostructured-based high-performance Mg-Zn(Y) magnesium alloys. The Project's goal is the reduction of specific energy consumed and the overall carbon-footprint produced in the cradle-to-exit gate phases. Preliminary results addressed potentialities of the upstream manufacturing process pathway. Two Mg-Zn(Y) system alloys with rapid solidifying powders have been produced and directly extruded for 100% densification. Examination of the mechanical properties showed that such materials exhibit strength and elongation comparable to several high performing aluminum alloys; 390 MPa and 440 MPa for the average UTS for two different system alloys, and 10% and 15% elongations for two system alloys. These results, together with the low-environmental impact targeted, make these novel Mg alloys competitive as lightweight high-performance materials for automotive components.