Research advances in magnesium and magnesium alloys worldwide in 2020

TLDR

In 2020, over 3,000 SCI‑indexed papers were published on magnesium alloys, reflecting sustained research interest. The study proposes future research directions: synergistic microstructure control for high‑strength, plastic, corrosion‑resistant, low‑cost alloys; development of functional Mg materials such as batteries, hydrogen storage, and bio‑alloys; improved corrosion protection and degradation control; and advanced processing techniques. Bibliometric analysis shows that microstructure control and mechanical properties dominate research, while corrosion protection remains a key concern; emerging hotspots include functional Mg materials such as batteries, hydrogen storage, and bio‑alloys, with significant contributions from institutions like Chongqing University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Central South University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Northeastern University, and Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht.

Abstract

Research on magnesium alloys continues to attract great attention, with more than 3000 papers on magnesium and magnesium alloys published and indexed in SCI in 2020 alone. The results of bibliometric analyses show that microstructure control and mechanical properties of Mg alloys are continuously the main research focus, and the corrosion and protection of Mg alloys are still widely concerned. The emerging research hot spots are mainly on functional magnesium materials, such as Mg ion batteries, hydrogen storage Mg materials, and bio-magnesium alloys. Great contributions to the research and development of magnesium alloys in 2020 have been made by Chongqing University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Central South University, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Northeastern University, Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht, etc. The directions for future research are suggested, including: 1) the synergistic control of microstructures to achieve high-performance magnesium alloys with concurrent high strength and superior plasticity along with high corrosion resistance and low cost; 2) further development of functional magnesium materials such as Mg batteries, hydrogen storage Mg materials, structural-functional materials and bio-magnesium materials; 3) studies on the effective corrosion protection and control of degradation rate of magnesium alloys; 4) further improvement of advanced processing technology on Mg alloys.