Discovery of corrosion-resistant “stainless magnesium” to enable lightweight vehicles

As a strong, lightweight and easily machined material, magnesium alloy holds much promise as an alternative to heavier metals like aluminum, particularly when it comes to transportation. One attribute holding it back, however, is the fact that it corrodes easily. But Australian researchers have discovered an ultra-low density and corrosion-resistant magnesium-lithium alloy that could greatly reduce the weight of cars and planes, in what they describe as the first step toward mass production of stainless magnesium.

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CrazyNeutrino said:

Discovery of corrosion-resistant “stainless magnesium” to enable lightweight vehicles

As a strong, lightweight and easily machined material, magnesium alloy holds much promise as an alternative to heavier metals like aluminum, particularly when it comes to transportation. One attribute holding it back, however, is the fact that it corrodes easily. But Australian researchers have discovered an ultra-low density and corrosion-resistant magnesium-lithium alloy that could greatly reduce the weight of cars and planes, in what they describe as the first step toward mass production of stainless magnesium.

more…

It also has the downside that it burns very easily.

pommiejohn said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

Discovery of corrosion-resistant “stainless magnesium” to enable lightweight vehicles

As a strong, lightweight and easily machined material, magnesium alloy holds much promise as an alternative to heavier metals like aluminum, particularly when it comes to transportation. One attribute holding it back, however, is the fact that it corrodes easily. But Australian researchers have discovered an ultra-low density and corrosion-resistant magnesium-lithium alloy that could greatly reduce the weight of cars and planes, in what they describe as the first step toward mass production of stainless magnesium.

more…

It also has the downside that it burns very easily.

Magnesium itself or the magnesium-lithium alloy?

i was thinking that same thought too PJ. and it burns with the light of a thousand suns. worked at CAC years ago (commonwealth aircraft corporation) where they also made real mag wheels. the swarf would sometimes ignite.

CrazyNeutrino said:

pommiejohn said:

CrazyNeutrino said:

Discovery of corrosion-resistant “stainless magnesium” to enable lightweight vehicles

As a strong, lightweight and easily machined material, magnesium alloy holds much promise as an alternative to heavier metals like aluminum, particularly when it comes to transportation. One attribute holding it back, however, is the fact that it corrodes easily. But Australian researchers have discovered an ultra-low density and corrosion-resistant magnesium-lithium alloy that could greatly reduce the weight of cars and planes, in what they describe as the first step toward mass production of stainless magnesium.

more…

It also has the downside that it burns very easily.

Magnesium itself or the magnesium-lithium alloy?

Plain old magnesium and many of the alloys used in cars up till now. Maybe the mag Lithium alloy doesn’t, I’ll have a read.

Only rich weather girls could afford a pure magnesium car.

Peak Warming Man said:

Only rich weather girls could afford a pure magnesium car.

That would burn like a beauty for sure but for my money it’s not a car unless it has been carved out of solid rubidium

Zn?

While alloys change the properties of the individual metals, given the reactivity of both Mg and Li I’d be very surprised if this stable at elevated temperatures. But I haven’t read the article yet.

A pure titanium car?

Hg.

btm said:

While alloys change the properties of the individual metals, given the reactivity of both Mg and Li I’d be very surprised if this stable at elevated temperatures. But I haven’t read the article yet.

I wonder if they mix fire retarding compounds or such into the alloy?

or can retarding compounds be mixed in, but this would add to the weight

and if you were a sufferer of bi-polar you could always give your car a quick lick….

OCDC said:

Hg.

That’s Dr. Hg.

OCDC said:

Hg.

He

The Gizmag article says the new alloy resists corrosion “in the lab setting”, but says nothing about its stability at higher temperatures. The original article (A high-specific-strength and corrosion-resistant magnesium alloy) was published in Nature Materials, and is behind the usual Nature paywall, so I can’t see it.

we still don’t know the burning temp of the new magnesium-lithium alloy

Wookie does.

Peak Warming Man said:

Wookie does.

I will have to wait for the Wookie report

CrazyNeutrino said:

A pure titanium car?

I think the Blackbird ( Lockheed SR 71) was largely made of Titanium. Money was no object there though.

Caesium looks nicer.

/* The original article (A high-specific-strength and corrosion-resistant magnesium alloy) was published in Nature Materials, and is behind the usual Nature paywall, so I can’t see it. */

Seems unfair. Enough in the abstract to tell us that /* Corrosion resistance from the environment is believed to occur by a uniform lithium carbonate film in which surface coverage is much greater than in traditional hexagonal close-packed Mg-based alloys, explaining the superior corrosion resistance of the alloy. */.

or you could just use aluminium

lightweight

easily recyclable

bodywork doesn’t rust away

making cars efficient is about making them heavy enough to give traction but light enough so it requires much less power to drive them forward

an battery driven aliminium bodied car is a practical vehicle

ChrispenEvan said:

i was thinking that same thought too PJ. and it burns with the light of a thousand suns. worked at CAC years ago (commonwealth aircraft corporation) where they also made real mag wheels. the swarf would sometimes ignite.

Was looking at a video many years ago where they tried to set a magnesium computer tower on fire. They couldn’t, not without almost completely melting the entire thing first. That magnesium alloy was designed to be fireproof, and it was.

(Checks to see who found this, I’ve met Nick Birbilis. Nice work. I wonder if the carbonate surface layer protects magnesium in the same way that a carbonate surface layer protects zinc. Zinc on being exposed to the carbon dioxide of the air developes a layer of zinc-hydroxy-carbonate that acts to inhibit further corrosion. In marine environments this doesn’t work because zinc hydroxy chloride forms instead.)

“Monash University’s Professor Nick Birbilis has carried out very calculated research in pursuit of a corrosion-resistant magnesium alloy. In 2013, a team he led discovered that they could better preserve the metal in the lab by adding a dash of arsenic, which ultimately cut its corrosion rate in salt solution by a factor of nearly 10.

“But there would be an element of luck involved in his latest, even more promising breakthrough, when Professor Michael Ferry’s team from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) spotted a heat-treated magnesium alloy sitting inert in a beaker of water.

“Normally when testing magnesium alloys for corrosiveness, researchers will place the samples in solutions like salt water and return a day later to see how much of it remains. But to their surprise, they found that, though this particular sample had been resting in the salty water for some time, it was completely intact, with no corroded surfaces. So the team began to investigate the structural detail of the alloy, turning to scientists on the Powder Diffraction beamline at the Australian Synchrotron to uncover its secrets.

“What they found was a unique nanostructure that gives rise to a protective layer of carbonate-rich film upon atmospheric exposure.

dv said:

Peak Warming Man said:

Only rich weather girls could afford a pure magnesium car.

That would burn like a beauty for sure but for my money it’s not a car unless it has been carved out of solid rubidium

I actually prefer manganese. Could be mined very cheaply from the deep sea.

If cars were made of titanium panel beaters could suffer.

roughbarked said:

If cars were made of titanium panel beaters could suffer.

Panel beaters should look to 3D printers to help them

panelbeaters will not suffer for a long time yet. they just learn the new techniques for the modern car.

ChrispenEvan said:

panelbeaters will not suffer for a long time yet. they just learn the new techniques for the modern car.

Yeah. This is true but they won’t be beating many panels.

they don’t do a lot of that now.

ChrispenEvan said:

they don’t do a lot of that now.

agreed…

even pulling cars is going out. replacement is the go. and glue. and plastics. recycle the old bits.

ChrispenEvan said:

even pulling cars is going out. replacement is the go. and glue. and plastics. recycle the old bits.

I’ve only met 1 true panel beater in tasmania.. he still uses an english wheel

my neighbour started as a coach builder in NZ. he can do all that stuff. a true pro in the trade.

ChrispenEvan said:

they don’t do a lot of that now.

Very little.

ChrispenEvan said:

my neighbour started as a coach builder in NZ. he can do all that stuff. a true pro in the trade.

yeah, this guy specialises in Willys, so you can imagine how good he is at it with all he curved panels on those..

pete gets “told off” for gapping his panels better than what comes from the factory. joking of course.

ChrispenEvan said:

pete gets “told off” for gapping his panels better than what comes from the factory. joking of course.

some of them are shocking these days…

interesting, and so simple, a tool is the english wheel.

and “clips”, whatever you do mention “clips” to a PB.

;-)

ChrispenEvan said:

interesting, and so simple, a tool is the english wheel.

a few are still using power hammers, but the english wheel (imo) gives a much better finish.

The guy who taught me airbrushing reckons he loved finding lead when sanding back cars because you knew the panel beater knew what he was doing

don’t, though do mention is fun.

ChrispenEvan said:

and “clips”, whatever you do mention “clips” to a PB.

;-)

as in “front clip”?

i thought that was just an american thing

clips are what hold everything together. and some can be reused and some not and there are hundreds of different type.

ChrispenEvan said:

clips are what hold everything together. and some can be reused and some not and there are hundreds of different type.

ah, ok.

americans call the bodywork forwards of the windscreen (excluding the bonnet/hood i think) “the front clip”

http://www.wurth.com.au/media/pictures/wurthaustralia/BodyClipPosters_PWF76_ArtNo8900_150_002_lowres.pdf

ChrispenEvan said:

http://www.wurth.com.au/media/pictures/wurthaustralia/BodyClipPosters_PWF76_ArtNo8900_150_002_lowres.pdf

jaysus..

I know the ford plastic screw/expanding thingy (technical name0 were shite.. used to sell them by the truckload

stumpy_seahorse said:

jaysus..

I know the ford plastic screw/expanding thingy (technical name0 were shite.. used to sell them by the truckload

I’ve got a truckload of quartz watch movements. There is very little watchmaking that goes on these days unless you have an old watch and know a watchmaker who kept all those tools.

roughbarked said:

I’ve got a truckload of quartz watch movements. There is very little watchmaking that goes on these days unless you have an old watch and know a watchmaker who kept all those tools.

I just bought a West End Watch from ebay. 1970s I think. Some of them had Longines movements.

pommiejohn said:

roughbarked said:

I’ve got a truckload of quartz watch movements. There is very little watchmaking that goes on these days unless you have an old watch and know a watchmaker who kept all those tools.

I just bought a West End Watch from ebay. 1970s I think. Some of them had Longines movements.

It is a long time since Longines made their own movements.

roughbarked said:

pommiejohn said:

roughbarked said:

I’ve got a truckload of quartz watch movements. There is very little watchmaking that goes on these days unless you have an old watch and know a watchmaker who kept all those tools.

I just bought a West End Watch from ebay. 1970s I think. Some of them had Longines movements.

It is a long time since Longines made their own movements.

When it arrives I’ll have a look in the back. Aus post lost it yesterday !

roughbarked said:

pommiejohn said:

roughbarked said:

I’ve got a truckload of quartz watch movements. There is very little watchmaking that goes on these days unless you have an old watch and know a watchmaker who kept all those tools.

I just bought a West End Watch from ebay. 1970s I think. Some of them had Longines movements.

It is a long time since Longines made their own movements.

Though they do continue to make ludicrous case designs. In fact, most case designs from all brands are ridiculously unique. I reassign the name of one to them all.. and call them GUESS which or what ?

pommiejohn said:

When it arrives I’ll have a look in the back. Aus post lost it yesterday !

Isn’t modern technology absolutely marvelous. Twenty years ago you probably wouldn’t have had a clue that Aussie post had lost your parcel yesterday.

pommiejohn said:

roughbarked said:

pommiejohn said:

I just bought a West End Watch from ebay. 1970s I think. Some of them had Longines movements.

It is a long time since Longines made their own movements.

When it arrives I’ll have a look in the back. Aus post lost it yesterday !

Doesn’t matter which movement they use, it will still have Longines stamped all over it.

sibeen said:

pommiejohn said:

When it arrives I’ll have a look in the back. Aus post lost it yesterday !

Isn’t modern technology absolutely marvelous. Twenty years ago you probably wouldn’t have had a clue that Aussie post had lost your parcel yesterday.

One certainly never noticed the fifty emails about it before.

sibeen said:

pommiejohn said:

When it arrives I’ll have a look in the back. Aus post lost it yesterday !

Isn’t modern technology absolutely marvelous. Twenty years ago you probably wouldn’t have had a clue that Aussie post had lost your parcel yesterday.

LOL