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Automotive Grey Cast Iron vs. ZK61A Magnesium

Automotive grey cast iron belongs to the iron alloys classification, while ZK61A magnesium belongs to the magnesium alloys. There are 27 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (5, in this case) are not shown. Please note that the two materials have significantly dissimilar densities. This means that additional care is required when interpreting the data, because some material properties are based on units of mass, while others are based on units of area or volume.

For each property being compared, the top bar is automotive grey cast iron and the bottom bar is ZK61A magnesium.

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa 180
46
Elongation at Break, % 9.6 to 14
5.8 to 7.1
Poisson's Ratio 0.29
0.29
Shear Modulus, GPa 69 to 70
18
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa 140 to 290
290 to 310
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa 94 to 200
180 to 200

Thermal Properties

Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g 260 to 280
330
Melting Completion (Liquidus), °C 1380 to 1390
640
Melting Onset (Solidus), °C 1340 to 1350
530
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K 490
960
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K 41 to 43
120
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K 12 to 14
27

Electrical Properties

Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume, % IACS 7.4 to 7.6
29
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific), % IACS 8.8 to 9.1
130

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Base Metal Price, % relative 1.9 to 3.0
13
Density, g/cm3 7.5 to 7.6
1.9
Embodied Carbon, kg CO2/kg material 1.5 to 1.7
23
Embodied Energy, MJ/kg 21 to 24
160
Embodied Water, L/kg 44 to 51
940

Common Calculations

Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work), MJ/m3 18 to 25
15 to 19
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience), kJ/m3 25 to 110
370 to 420
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points 13
13
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points 25
62
Strength to Weight: Axial, points 5.2 to 11
42 to 45
Strength to Weight: Bending, points 8.0 to 13
50 to 53
Thermal Diffusivity, mm2/s 11 to 12
65
Thermal Shock Resistance, points 4.2 to 8.6
17 to 18