Room temperature mechanical properties of Mg-Cu-Al alloys synthesized using powder metallurgy method

Conventional powder metallurgy method was used to fabricate Mg-1Cu-xAl (x=1 wt%, 3 wt%, 6 wt%, 9 wt%) alloys to study the influence of copper and aluminum on mechanical behavior of pure magnesium. Microstructural evaluation revealed the presence of Mg17Al12 and Mg2Cu intermetallic phases in synthesized alloys. Experimental results exhibited that the increase in aluminum content lead to increase in Vickers hardness, 0.2% yield strength and ultimate strength (both in tension and compression). The tensile failure strain of alloys increases till the threshold of 3 wt% Al is reached. The decline in failure strain for the alloys containing higher wt% Al contents (i.e., 6 and 9 wt% Al), might be attributed to the formation of brittle intermetallic phase Mg17Al12.