"The Bureau of Mines conducted research to determine the feasibility of strengthening experimental magnesium-base sheet alloys by softening induced by controlled cold rolling followed by selective heat treatment. Relatively small alloying additions having potential for producing strain softening were selected from metals that are readily available. Tensile properties comparable to minimum properties of the most commonly used magnesium-base sheet alloy az31b, in the h24 condition (strain-hardened and partially annealed), were obtained in an mg-1mm (mischmetal)-0.5 Mn alloy after strain-softening rolling followed by heat treatment. Tensile properties of the experimental alloys in certain conditions are also compared with minimum tensile properties of other standard magnesium sheet alloys incidental to the principal objectives, apparent super-plastic behavior was observed in three experimental magnesium- base alloys containing mm, mm plus manganese, and mm plus zirconium." - NIOSHTIC-2

NIOSH no. 10004444

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health