LIGHT-WEIGHT MATRIX MATERIALS BASED ON MG-INTERMETALLIC ALLOYS

CHRONIC NEEDS FOR HIGHER PERFORMANCE IN PRESENT AND FUTURE MILITARY AND COMMERCIAL SYSTEMS MANDATE IMPROVEMENTS IN MATERIAL PROPERTIES. HIGH MELTING POINT, LOW DENSITY, AND HIGH STRENGTH ARE AMONG THE MATERIAL PROPERTIES NECESSARY TO ACHIEVE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE GOALS. SUCH REQUIREMENTS CAN NO LONGER BE MET USING CONVENTIONAL METAL ALLOYS, INCLUDING AL-BASED ALLOYS WHICH MELT AT ONLY 600 DEGREES CENTIGRADE. MAGNESIUM-BASED INTERMETALLICS ARE AMONG THE BEST CANDIDATES TO FULFILL THE AFOREMENTIONED REQUIREMENTS. BASED ON DENSITY, MELTING POINT (1700 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT), CRYSTAL STRUCTURE (B2), AND OXIDATION RESISTANCE CONSIDERATIONS, AND INTERMETALLIC COMPOUND MGY HAS POTENTIAL AS A LIGHT-WEIGHT MATERIAL FOR 900 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT-1000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT APPLICATIONS. RESEARCHERS ARE CONCENTRATING ON ESTABLISHING THE ROOM AND HIGH TEMPERATURE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE INTERMETALLIC MGY, IMPROVING THE ROOM TEMPERATURE DUCTILITY/FRACTURE TOUGHNESS AND ELEVATED TEMPERATURE STRENGTH OF THE INTERMETALLC. THE INVESTIGATION ESTABLISHES THE POTENTIAL OF DISPERSION-STRENGTHENED MGY FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT. UNIQUE PLASMA SYNTHESIS PROCESSING IS UTILIZED TO PRODUCE THESE MAGNESIUM INTERMETALLIC ALLOYS WITH SPECIFIC STRENGTHS HIGHER THAN HERETOFORE REPORTED.