High-Performance Magnesium Alloys and Composites by Efficient Vapor Phase Processing

The low density of magnesium makes it of interest for the development of advanced materials having high specific strength and stiffness. Current Mg applications, however, are limited by the performance and cost/quality relationships of existing Mg-alloy systems. One approach to obtain improved Mg alloys is through the development of new alloys and/or Mg-based composite materials that are enabled through the use of vapor phase processing routes. For example, high quality Mg matrix composites can be created by coating individual reinforcing fibers and then consolidating them into materials having enhanced properties. The use of vapor co-evaporation techniques for the formation of novel non-equilibrium alloys is also of interest. For manufacturing routes of this type to be viable, scalable vapor production processes which have suitable energy efficiencies and cost effectiveness are required. In this work, a novel gas jet assisted vapor deposition approach using a moderate vacuum is explored as a means for the creation of well intermixed Mg-alloy vapors which can be condensed in a highly efficient manner as monolithic alloys or onto fiber based substrates. Prototype production scale processing equipment is employed to determine the scalability factors for materials processing via this route and enable characterization of the resulting materials.