A Critical Review of the Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) of Magnesium Alloys

• Published in: Advanced engineering materials Vol. 7; no. 8; pp. 659 - 693
• Main Authors: Winzer, N., Atrens, A., Song, G., Ghali, E., Dietzel, W., Kainer, K. U., Hort, N., Blawert, C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Weinheim WILEY-VCH Verlag 01-08-2005; WILEY‐VCH Verlag; Wiley-VCH
• Subjects: Applications; Applied sciences; Automotive engineering; Corrosion; Corrosion mechanisms; Engineering techniques in metallurgy. Applications. Other aspects; Exact sciences and technology; Fractures; Magnesium; Mechanical properties and methods of testing. Rheology. Fracture mechanics. Tribology; Metals. Metallurgy; Stress corrosion cracking; Corrosion mechanism; Stress corrosion cracking; Aqueous solution; Industrial application; Automobile industry; Magnesium alloy
• ISSN: 1438-1656; 1527-2648
• DOI: 10.1002/adem.200500071

This review aims to provide a foundation for the safe and effective use of magnesium (Mg) alloys, including practical guidelines for the service use of Mg alloys in the atmosphere and/or in contact with aqueous solutions. This is to provide support for the rapidly increasing use of Mg in industrial applications, particularly in the automobile industry. These guidelines should be firmly based on a critical analysis of our knowledge of SCC based on (1) service experience, (2) laboratory testing and (3) understanding of the mechanism of SCC, as well as based on an understanding of the Mg corrosion mechanism.
This review aims to provide a foundation for the safe and effective use of magnesium (Mg) alloys, in support for the rapidly increasing use of Mg in industrial applications, particularly in the automobile industry. Included are recommendations for preventing SCC of Mg alloys exposed to the atmosphere or aqueous solutions. An important recommendation is that the total stress in service should be below a threshold level, which could be ∼ 50% of the tensile yield strength.