Microstructure and thermal conductivity of as-cast and as-extruded binary Mg-Mn alloys

This study investigated the microstructure and thermal conductivity of as-cast and as-extruded binary Mg-Mn alloys. The large grains and fine -Mn particles contained in the as-cast alloys were observed. After extrusion, the average grain sizes significantly decreased, typical basal fibre texture was generated and high amount of nano particles precipitated from the alpha-Mg matrix. The thermal conductivity of both as-cast and as-extruded Mg-Mn alloys gradually decreased with the increase in Mn concentration. As-extruded alloys exhibited lower thermal conductivity than as-cast alloys except for the as-extruded alloys containing higher Mn concentrations (>1.2wt-% Mn). Compared with binary as-extruded Mg-Al and Mg-Zn alloys reported in literatures, thermal conductivity of the as-extruded Mg-Mn alloys was higher when the solute content was greater than 0.5 at.-%.