Influence of Low Level Ag Additions on Mg‐Alloy AZ91

Abstract

Abstract The influence of low‐level silver (Ag) additions (0.12 and 0.5 wt%) to magnesium alloy AZ91 were studied in terms of electrochemical response and hardness. These properties were reconciled with microstructural analyses, indicating that 0.12 wt% Ag was capable of imparting an increment in hardness, with no significant increase in electrochemical corrosion kinetics, whilst 0.5 wt% Ag resulted in formation of an Mg 4 Ag phase which increased cathodic kinetics concomitant with lowered alloy hardness.