Whether at home or abroad, the application of magnesium is mainly concentrated in the production of aluminum alloys, die-casting production, steelmaking and desulfurization of the three major fields, but also used in rare earth alloys, metal reduction and other fields.
Due to the small density of magnesium, high specific strength, and can be with aluminum, copper, zinc and other metals constitute high-strength alloys, therefore, magnesium is an important alloying element. The world's largest consumption of magnesium is for aluminum alloy additive elements. 2002 the world's major regions of raw magnesium consumption, *** with 145,600 tons of magnesium production of aluminum alloys, accounting for the total consumption of raw magnesium, 40%; China's 2003 *** with 21,000 tons of magnesium as an aluminum alloy additive elements, accounting for 41% of the total consumption. Generally speaking, the ratio of magnesium to primary aluminum consumption is about 0.4%.
In 2002, the world's major regions of raw magnesium consumption, die-casting accounted for 35%. In the magnesium die casting production industry, North America, Latin America, Western Europe with the most, because the automobile manufacturing industry to promote the market demand for magnesium growth. Relevant statistics show that in the past 10 years, magnesium alloy die casting in the automobile on the use of about 15% rise, and this development trend will continue.
Europe and the United States, Russia and other regions and countries, many steel mills are used magnesium desulfurization. 2002 the world's major regions of raw magnesium consumption, 57,300 tons for steel desulfurization, accounting for 15.70% of the total. Our country in 2003 steel desulfurization with magnesium 8000 tons, accounting for 15.62% of the total consumption. The desulfurization effect of using magnesium particles is better than calcium carbide, although the price of magnesium is higher than calcium carbide, but its dosage is only 1/6-1/7 of calcium carbide, and the total cost of magnesium desulfurization is more economical than calcium carbide. Generally speaking, tons of steel consumption of magnesium particles 0.4-0.5 kg, after desulfurization of sulfur content 0.001-0.005%.
The use of magnesium sacrificial anode for cathodic protection is an effective method of preventing metal corrosion, magnesium sacrificial anode has the following characteristics: good anticorrosion performance, no need for external DC power supply, automatic operation after installation, no need for maintenance, covers an area of less than a low cost of the project, and the external environment does not have any interference. Magnesium sacrificial anode is widely used in corrosion protection of petroleum pipelines, natural gas, gas pipelines and storage tanks; ports, ships, submarine pipelines, drilling platforms; airports, parking lots, bridges, power plants, municipal constructions, water treatment plants, petrochemical factories, smelters, gasoline stations, as well as water heaters, heat exchangers, evaporators, boilers and other equipment.
In human cells, magnesium is the second most important cation, which can activate a variety of enzymes in the body to inhibit the abnormal excitability of the nerves, to maintain the stability of the nucleic acid structure, to participate in the body's protein synthesis, muscle contraction and thermoregulation. Recent studies have confirmed that atherosclerosis, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, hypertension, diabetes, cataracts, women's dysmenorrhea, osteoporosis, depression are related to magnesium deficiency. The application of magnesium in the field of medicine is increasingly emphasized.
Applications of magnesium alloys
Magnesium alloys, as one of the least dense metal structural materials, are widely used in the aerospace industry, military industry, transportation (including automotive, aircraft, motorcycle, bicycle, etc.), and 3C fields.
The characteristics of magnesium alloys can meet the requirements of aerospace and other high-tech fields for lightweight materials to absorb noise, dampen vibration, and protect against radiation, and can greatly improve the aerodynamic performance of aircraft and significantly reduce structural weight. From the 1940s, magnesium alloys were first prioritized for use in the aerospace sector.
In foreign countries, B-36 heavy bomber with 4086kg magnesium alloy bookplate per frame; jet fighter "Lockheed F-80" wing with magnesium plate, so that the number of structural parts from 47758 reduced to 16050; "Dzhelaai Nai" airship starter rocket. Hercules", the starter rocket of the spacecraft, used 600 kg of deformed magnesium alloy; "Tiscavell" satellite used 675 kg of deformed magnesium alloy; the diameter of about 1 meter "Vigilance" was used. "Vigil rocket shell is made of extruded magnesium alloy tubes.
China's fighter planes, bombers, helicopters, transport planes, civilian aircraft, airborne radar, surface-to-air missiles, carrier rockets, satellites, airships are selected magnesium alloy components: a model of the aircraft up to the selection of the 300-400 items of magnesium alloy components; the weight of a part of the heaviest weight of nearly 300kg; the maximum size of a component of more than 2m.
In the military industry needs magnesium alloy plate to improve the strength of structural components, reduce the weight of equipment, improve the hit rate of weapons. At present, the domestic needs of the plate and strip had to be imported from abroad.