Effect of Some Impurities on the Structure, the Phase Composition, and the Properties of Magnesium Alloys Containing Rare-Earth Elements

Abstract

The effect of a number of natural impurities (hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, aluminum) on the phase formation in magnesium alloys with rare-earth elements (REEs) has been studied. The most active gaseous impurity is found to be hydrogen, which forms disperse yttrium and zirconium hydrides and other phases. The compounds of the alloying components of an alloy with these impurities can slightly increase the strength properties of deformed complex Mg–Zn–Zr–REE alloys; in this case, their fatigue characteristics decrease by a factor of 1.3–1.5.