ZE63A (ZE63A-T6, M16630) Magnesium
ZE63A magnesium is a magnesium alloy. Cited properties are appropriate for the T6 temper. To achieve this temper, the metal is solution heat-treated and artificially aged until it meets standard mechanical property requirements. ZE63A is the ASTM designation for this material. M16630 is the UNS number.
It has the lowest melting temperature among magnesium alloys. In addition, it has a very high density and a very high electrical conductivity.
The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare ZE63A 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
Brinell Hardness
73
Compressive (Crushing) Strength
450 MPa 65 x 103 psi
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
46 GPa 6.6 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
7.7 %
Fatigue Strength
120 MPa 17 x 103 psi
Fracture Toughness
27 MPa-m1/2 25 x 103 psi-in1/2
Poisson's Ratio
0.29
Shear Modulus
17 GPa 2.5 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
170 MPa 25 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
300 MPa 43 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
190 MPa 28 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
330 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
170 °C 330 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
510 °C 950 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
390 °C 730 °F
Solidification (Pattern Maker's) Shrinkage
1.6 %
Specific Heat Capacity
950 J/kg-K 0.23 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
110 W/m-K 64 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
27 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
31 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
140 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
22 % relative
Density
2.0 g/cm3 130 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
24 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
180 MJ/kg 79 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
920 L/kg 110 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
20 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
400 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
12 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
58 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
40 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
48 points
Thermal Diffusivity
57 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
17 points
Alloy Composition
| Mg | 89.6 to 92 | |
| Zn | 5.5 to 6.0 | |
| Zr | 0.4 to 1.0 | |
| Cu | 0 to 0.1 | |
| Ni | 0 to 0.010 | |
| rare e. | 2.1 to 3.0 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.3 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
Magnesium Alloys Containing Rare Earth Metals: Structure and Properties, L.L. Rokhlin, 2003
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