K1A (K1A-F, M18010) Magnesium
K1A magnesium is a magnesium alloy. Cited properties are appropriate for the as-fabricated (no temper or treatment) condition. K1A is the ASTM designation for this material. M18010 is the UNS number.
It has a very low density among magnesium alloys. In addition, it has the highest melting temperature and a very high ductility.
The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare K1A magnesium to other magnesium alloys (top) and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
43 GPa 6.3 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
13 %
Fatigue Strength
39 MPa 5.6 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.29
Shear Modulus
17 GPa 2.4 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
55 MPa 8.0 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
180 MPa 26 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
51 MPa 7.4 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
350 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
120 °C 250 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
650 °C 1210 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
650 °C 1200 °F
Solidification (Pattern Maker's) Shrinkage
1.6 %
Specific Heat Capacity
1000 J/kg-K 0.24 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
120 W/m-K 69 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
27 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
30 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
170 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
13 % relative
Density
1.6 g/cm3 100 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
24 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
170 MJ/kg 72 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
970 L/kg 120 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
17 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
30 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
15 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
73 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
31 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
43 points
Thermal Diffusivity
75 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
11 points
Alloy Composition
| Mg | 98.7 to 99.6 | |
| Zr | 0.4 to 1.0 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.3 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
ASTM B403: Standard Specification for Magnesium-Alloy Investment Castings
Welding and Joining of Magnesium Alloys, Liming Liu (editor), 2010
ASTM B80: Standard Specification for Magnesium-Alloy Sand Castings
Essential Readings in Magnesium Technology, Suveen N. Mathaudhu et al. (editors), 2014
Environmental Degradation of Advanced and Traditional Engineering Materials, Lloyd H. Hihara et al., 2014.
Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials, ASM Handbook vol. 2, ASM International, 1993
CRC Materials Science and Engineering Handbook, 4th ed., James F. Shackelford et al. (editors), 2015