Rare-earth containing magnesium alloys: A review of precipitation behavior and its impact on fatigue performance

Magnesium (Mg) alloys have attracted considerable attention in the automotive and aerospace industries due to their exceptional lightness, high specific strength, and excellent castability. However, their susceptibility to fatigue failure poses significant challenges for the long-term service under...

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Main Authors: Fanjin Yao, Bo Hu, Zixin Li, Jiaxuan Han, Dejiang Li, Qianxi Zhang, Daolun Chen, Xiaoqin Zeng
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-07-01
Series:Journal of Magnesium and Alloys
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213956725001847
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author Fanjin Yao
Bo Hu
Zixin Li
Jiaxuan Han
Dejiang Li
Qianxi Zhang
Daolun Chen
Xiaoqin Zeng
author_facet Fanjin Yao
Bo Hu
Zixin Li
Jiaxuan Han
Dejiang Li
Qianxi Zhang
Daolun Chen
Xiaoqin Zeng
author_sort Fanjin Yao
collection DOAJ
description Magnesium (Mg) alloys have attracted considerable attention in the automotive and aerospace industries due to their exceptional lightness, high specific strength, and excellent castability. However, their susceptibility to fatigue failure poses significant challenges for the long-term service under cyclic loading. This review systematically explores the precipitation behavior in the representative rare-earth containing magnesium (Mg-RE) alloys and examines the critical role of precipitates in influencing fatigue behavior. The alloying elements and heat treatment play a pivotal role in affecting the precipitation behavior of the Mg-RE alloys. Notably, the β′, β″, and 14H long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phases serve as primary strengthening precipitates in the Mg-Gd (Y), Mg-Nd, and Mg-RE-Zn based alloys, respectively. The size, quantity, and distribution of these precipitates can be finely controlled through the optimization of aging treatment parameters. Based on the fundamental principles for enhancing fatigue resistance, this review offers a detailed analysis of the effects of precipitates on fatigue behavior, addressing key aspects such as crack initiation, propagation, and fatigue failure under high-cycle fatigue (HCF) conditions. Besides, the effects of precipitates on the cyclic stress response, cyclic deformation characteristics, and fatigue life under low-cycle fatigue (LCF) conditions are systematically summarized. The influence of precipitates on fatigue behavior of Mg-RE alloys is primarily attributed to the mechanisms such as dislocation pinning, crack path deflection, precipitation strengthening, and the suppression of twinning. This review highlights the significance of precipitation behavior in optimizing fatigue resistance and provides valuable insights into future research directions for advancing Mg-RE alloys in the fatigue-critical structural applications.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
record_format Article
series Journal of Magnesium and Alloys
spelling doaj-art-3c22fdcd8fe84fdfa7e8bcf3b99b82632025-08-20T03:38:24ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Journal of Magnesium and Alloys2213-95672025-07-011372930295810.1016/j.jma.2025.05.010Rare-earth containing magnesium alloys: A review of precipitation behavior and its impact on fatigue performanceFanjin Yao0Bo Hu1Zixin Li2Jiaxuan Han3Dejiang Li4Qianxi Zhang5Daolun Chen6Xiaoqin Zeng7National Engineering Research Center of Light Alloy Net Forming & State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center of Light Alloy Net Forming & State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center of Light Alloy Net Forming & State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center of Light Alloy Net Forming & State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center of Light Alloy Net Forming & State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China; Corresponding authors.National Engineering Research Center of Light Alloy Net Forming & State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, ChinaDepartment of Mechanical, Industrial and Mechatronics Engineering, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Ontario M5B 2K3, Canada; Corresponding authors.National Engineering Research Center of Light Alloy Net Forming & State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China; Corresponding authors.Magnesium (Mg) alloys have attracted considerable attention in the automotive and aerospace industries due to their exceptional lightness, high specific strength, and excellent castability. However, their susceptibility to fatigue failure poses significant challenges for the long-term service under cyclic loading. This review systematically explores the precipitation behavior in the representative rare-earth containing magnesium (Mg-RE) alloys and examines the critical role of precipitates in influencing fatigue behavior. The alloying elements and heat treatment play a pivotal role in affecting the precipitation behavior of the Mg-RE alloys. Notably, the β′, β″, and 14H long-period stacking ordered (LPSO) phases serve as primary strengthening precipitates in the Mg-Gd (Y), Mg-Nd, and Mg-RE-Zn based alloys, respectively. The size, quantity, and distribution of these precipitates can be finely controlled through the optimization of aging treatment parameters. Based on the fundamental principles for enhancing fatigue resistance, this review offers a detailed analysis of the effects of precipitates on fatigue behavior, addressing key aspects such as crack initiation, propagation, and fatigue failure under high-cycle fatigue (HCF) conditions. Besides, the effects of precipitates on the cyclic stress response, cyclic deformation characteristics, and fatigue life under low-cycle fatigue (LCF) conditions are systematically summarized. The influence of precipitates on fatigue behavior of Mg-RE alloys is primarily attributed to the mechanisms such as dislocation pinning, crack path deflection, precipitation strengthening, and the suppression of twinning. This review highlights the significance of precipitation behavior in optimizing fatigue resistance and provides valuable insights into future research directions for advancing Mg-RE alloys in the fatigue-critical structural applications.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213956725001847Mg alloysPrecipitatesFatigueMg-RE alloys
spellingShingle Fanjin Yao
Bo Hu
Zixin Li
Jiaxuan Han
Dejiang Li
Qianxi Zhang
Daolun Chen
Xiaoqin Zeng
Rare-earth containing magnesium alloys: A review of precipitation behavior and its impact on fatigue performance
Journal of Magnesium and Alloys
Mg alloys
Precipitates
Fatigue
Mg-RE alloys
title Rare-earth containing magnesium alloys: A review of precipitation behavior and its impact on fatigue performance
title_full Rare-earth containing magnesium alloys: A review of precipitation behavior and its impact on fatigue performance
title_fullStr Rare-earth containing magnesium alloys: A review of precipitation behavior and its impact on fatigue performance
title_full_unstemmed Rare-earth containing magnesium alloys: A review of precipitation behavior and its impact on fatigue performance
title_short Rare-earth containing magnesium alloys: A review of precipitation behavior and its impact on fatigue performance
title_sort rare earth containing magnesium alloys a review of precipitation behavior and its impact on fatigue performance
topic Mg alloys
Precipitates
Fatigue
Mg-RE alloys
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213956725001847
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AT jiaxuanhan rareearthcontainingmagnesiumalloysareviewofprecipitationbehavioranditsimpactonfatigueperformance
AT dejiangli rareearthcontainingmagnesiumalloysareviewofprecipitationbehavioranditsimpactonfatigueperformance
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