Behind
iron and aluminum, magnesium (Mg) is the third most common element used in
engineered structures, because it is light-weight, stiff, and strong [1].
Alloying with aluminum can further improve stiffness and strength, although
bulk mechanical properties depend strongly on chemical composition and
thermomechanical history, insofar as these
parameters affect microstructure. In
this work, we use nanoindentation to
determine the properties of individual
phases within a popular magnesium
alloy, AZ 61. AZ 61 is a commercially available magnesium alloy which includes aluminum (nominally 6%), zinc (nominally 1%), and other trace elements. Table 1 provides the chemical composition for AZ 61[2]. The zinc and other trace elements have little effect on microstructure..
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