Corrosion behavior and microstructure of a broad range of Mg-Sn-X alloys

To launch a new class of magnesium alloys based on the Mg-Sn system and to achieve an adequate combination of mechanical properties and corrosion behavior Mg-Sn alloys with additional elements like Calcium, Manganese, Silicon and Strontium have been investigated. The corrosion behavior has been investigated by means of salt spray tests and potentio-dynamic measurements. Candidate alloys that provided lower corrosion rates are further characterized for their microstructures and constitution of the different phases. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) facility and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques were used for such purpose. This study indicates that Mg-Sn-Ca type alloy system offers great promise for applications requiring corrosion resistance.