title: Processing and properties of magnesium containing a dense uniform dispersion of nanoparticles.
abstract: Magnesium is a light metal, with a density two-thirds that of aluminium, is abundant on Earth and is biocompatible; it thus has the potential to improve energy efficiency and system performance in aerospace, automobile, defence, mobile electronics and biomedical applications. However, conventional synthesis and processing methods (alloying and thermomechanical processing) have reached certain limits in further improving the properties of magnesium and other metals. Ceramic particles have been introduced into metal matrices to improve the strength of the metals, but unfortunately, ceramic microparticles severely degrade the plasticity and machinability of metals, and nanoparticles, although they have the potential to improve strength while maintaining or even improving the plasticity of metals, are difficult to disperse uniformly in metal matrices. Here we show that a dense uniform dispersion of silicon carbide nanoparticles (14 per cent by volume) in magnesium can be achieved through a nanoparticle self-stabilization mechanism in molten metal. An enhancement of strength, stiffness, plasticity and high-temperature stability is simultaneously achieved, delivering a higher specific yield strength and higher specific modulus than almost all structural metals.
authors.affiliation: Scifacturing Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.|Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.|Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri 65409, USA.
authors.forename: Lian-Yi
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Jia-Quan
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, USA.
authors.forename: Hongseok
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pozuelo
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, North Carolina State University, North Carolina 27695, USA.
authors.forename: Xiaolong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Hysitron Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota 55344, USA.
authors.forename: Sanjit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhowmick
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Jenn-Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA.
authors.forename: Suveen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mathaudhu
authors.affiliation: Scifacturing Laboratory, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.|Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Xiao-Chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Li