Brunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology (BCAST) at Brunel University London is the host of Mg2018.The International Conference on Magnesium Alloys and Their Applications, Mg2018, the premier conference on the lightest structural metal, magnesium, begins next week.

The International Conference on Magnesium Alloys and Their Applications has been held every three years.
Mg2018 is the 11th run of this conference since 1986. The Mg2018 event will provide a venue to learn about the research, new alloys and processing technologies in the magnesium industry as well as the emerging applications in energy storage, biodegradable implant devices and vehicle lightweighting. The Brunel Centre for Advanced Solidification Technology (BCAST) at Brunel University London is the host of Mg2018. The conference will be held from July 24 to 27 at the De Vere Beaumont Estate, Old Windsor, which is near London.

Emerging Magnesium Applications

Magnesium holds great promise for lightweighting automotive and aerospace components. New alloys with fire-resistant or self-extinguishing properties, enhanced corrosion resistance, improved castability and higher strengths have expanded the potential of magnesium in structural applications. When considered with the specific strength of magnesium, emerging primary production technologies promise to provide die-cast magnesium alloy parts costing less than aluminum parts.

In recent years, a high degree of interest has developed in utilizing the biodegradable nature of magnesium in implantable devices such as bone plates, stents and guides. Traditional implant alloys such as titanium or austenitic stainless steel remain permanently in the body, the cytotoxic nature of nickel or vanadium in these alloys can lead to irritations and require implant removal. Biodegradable or bioresorbable magnesium implants are absorbed slowly by the body, eliminating the need for a second surgery and actually enhancing bone growth. The elastic modulus of magnesium alloys (41-45 GPa) is closer to the modulus of cortical bone (3–30 GPa), so magnesium alloy implants are less likely to cause stress shielding. Metallurgical research is underway to develop magnesium alloys with optimum bio-absorption, biocompatibility and mechanical properties.

Energy applications of magnesium include magnesium electrodes batteries and hydrogen storage. Magnesium has the potential to provide a safer and higher energy density battery electrodes compared to lithium-based electrodes. Metal hydrides have long been utilized and researched as an alternative to storing hydrogen in compressed cylinder form. Magnesium hydrides are stable at room temperature and magnesium achieves a hydrogen gravimetric density of 7.6 percent.

Overview of Mg2018 Conference Program

Mg2018 covers all aspects of magnesium research including:

• Automotive lightweighting opportunities and limitations with magnesium alloy
• Development of magnesium alloys for creep resistance, fire resistance and corrosion resistance
• Development of high-strength magnesium alloys and magnesium matrix composite
• Fundamentals of solidification, nucleation, dendrite formation, semisolid processing
• Deformation mechanisms — slip, twinning theory, texture development
• Microstructure engineering and grain refinement
• Thermomechanical treatments — friction stir processing, superplastic forming
• Magnesium process development, modeling and simulation
• Cast processes semisolid processing, continuous casting
• Wrought processes, extrusion processing and superforming
• Biomaterial applications of magnesium
• Magnesium battery technology
• Hydrogen storage with magnesium alloys and compounds
• Magnesium extraction and primary production
• End of life and recycling