A burnished and Al-alloyed magnesium surface with improved mechanical and corrosion properties

Magnesium (Mg) surface was mechanically burnished and then alloyed with aluminum (Al) by thermal diffusion. The grain-refinement by surface burnishing significantly facilitated the Al alloying and led to a thicker and more uniform Al-enriched surface layer which could be spontaneously passivated like an Al alloy in a corrosive environment and thus had significantly enhanced micro-hardness and corrosion resistance. As this burnished and alloyed surface is scratch-resistant, much nobler than Mg, and insusceptible to galvanic corrosion, this burnished alloying method may be employed to solve the most stubborn galvanic corrosion problem with magnesium alloys in engineering applications.

Automated summary

Research shows that surface burnishing and alloying of magnesium can result in a thicker and more uniform aluminum-enriched surface layer, which significantly enhances micro-hardness and corrosion resistance. This method helps to address the galvanic corrosion issue with magnesium alloys in engineering applications.