Influence of casting procedure on microstructure and properties of Mg alloy–glassy carbon particle composite: Paper presented at “XV International Conference on Electron Microscopy”, 15–18 September 2014, Cracow, Poland

The article presents the microstructure and properties of a new cast composite material with a magnesium alloy matrix (Zn 0.7 wt.%, Zr 0.06 wt.%, Nd 0.41 wt.%, Gd 0.21 wt.% and Mn 0.03 wt.%) and glassy carbon particles (10 wt.%, granulation 70–100 μm), dedicated to a technical application under dry friction conditions, manufactured under industrial conditions from a particle–metal suspension. Microstructural examination revealed that the pressure die casting method eliminates the microvoids formed in the gravity cast process both in the matrix and at the interface and also that it decreases the effect of Zr and other phases accumulating around the particles. The applied procedure of particle extraction from the composite's matrix, followed by scanning electron microscopy examination with energy dispersive spectroscopy, revealed the influence of Nd and Gd on the microstructure of the particle–matrix interface. The results of the mechanical and tribological properties tests showed that the application of pressure die casting method for the processing of Mg–GCp composite products improved those properties.