Corrosion fatigue of die-cast and extruded magnesium alloys

Abstract

To study the fatigue life of die-cast and extruded AZ91D, AM50 and AZ31 magnesium alloys, corrosion fatigue tests were carried out using a rotating beam type fatigue machine. Corrosive environment (3.5% NaCl) significantly decreases fatigue life of alloys, especially for extruded alloys. The fatigue data at high stresses were analyzed using fitting equations. Extruded alloys show a higher sensitivity to the action of NaCl solution in comparison with die-cast alloys; however, their corrosion fatigue life is longer than that of die-cast alloys. Corrosion fatigue behavior of Mg alloys correlates with their mechanochemical behavior. The latter was studied by the polarization measurements of the dissolution rate of strained alloys. TEM observations confirmed that the maximums on the curves of Mg dissolution rate dependence on the strain in NaCl solution appeared at the work-hardening stages due to the creation and destruction of dislocation pile-ups.