Profile
Dr.-Ing. N. Hort is Head of the magnesium process technology area.
All technological activities concerning the production and processing of magnesium-based materials by means of casting and wrought technologies have been brought together in the Magnesium Innovation Centre MagIC. This applies to alloy development, the manufacturing of magnesium alloys, and further processing in the molten and semi-solid state. The main areas of research are: development of new high temperature resistant magnesium materials, grain refinement of magnesium alloys, development of magnesium recycling alloys, castability of magnesium alloys, and the development of new biodegradable magnesium materials for application as implants in medicine.
Barium containing magnesium alloys are currently being investigated as new high temperature resistant materials. In the process, it was demonstrated that these alloys provides outstanding creep properties comparable to aluminium alloys.
Although recycling alloys are available and used for steel and aluminium alloys, this is not yet the case for magnesium alloys. Therefore, the development of a recycling alloy demonstrating a balanced range of properties is a target. Mg-Al-Mn alloys are currently modified using common alloy elements such as Sr, Ca and Zn, in order to demonstrate their potential as future recycling alloys with increased alloy element-contents and impurities.
Castability plays an important role for all magnesium alloys. In die casting, the focus is on mould filling characteristics and the effect of intermetallic compounds which form during congealment. In continuous casting, by contrast, hot tearing can play a significant role. A spiral mould can be used to investigate casting behaviour in order to characterise the effect of chemical composition and different casting parameters on fluidity, viscosity, density of molten magnesium and its solidification.
Reinforcement of magnesium alloys with nanoscale particles and the following increase in mechanical properties is another focus of this group. Nanoparticles and also carbon nanotubes are introduced by a power ultrasound assisted process and dispersed homogeneously. The reinforcement increases high temperature strength and creep resistance significantly.
The use of Mg materials as implant materials opens up completely new options. Magnesium alloys already demonstrate strength properties that are more similar to those of bone than other metals. In addition, the magnesium materials can dissolve in the body, whereby the corrosion products can be regarded as harmless. These materials thus make it possible to manufacture implants which fulfill their function for a defined period but do not require a further operation for their removal.
Research focuses are:
All technological activities concerning the production and processing of magnesium-based materials by means of casting and wrought technologies have been brought together in the Magnesium Innovation Centre MagIC. This applies to alloy development, the manufacturing of magnesium alloys, and further processing in the molten and semi-solid state. The main areas of research are: development of new high temperature resistant magnesium materials, grain refinement of magnesium alloys, development of magnesium recycling alloys, castability of magnesium alloys, and the development of new biodegradable magnesium materials for application as implants in medicine.
Barium containing magnesium alloys are currently being investigated as new high temperature resistant materials. In the process, it was demonstrated that these alloys provides outstanding creep properties comparable to aluminium alloys.
Although recycling alloys are available and used for steel and aluminium alloys, this is not yet the case for magnesium alloys. Therefore, the development of a recycling alloy demonstrating a balanced range of properties is a target. Mg-Al-Mn alloys are currently modified using common alloy elements such as Sr, Ca and Zn, in order to demonstrate their potential as future recycling alloys with increased alloy element-contents and impurities.
Castability plays an important role for all magnesium alloys. In die casting, the focus is on mould filling characteristics and the effect of intermetallic compounds which form during congealment. In continuous casting, by contrast, hot tearing can play a significant role. A spiral mould can be used to investigate casting behaviour in order to characterise the effect of chemical composition and different casting parameters on fluidity, viscosity, density of molten magnesium and its solidification.
Reinforcement of magnesium alloys with nanoscale particles and the following increase in mechanical properties is another focus of this group. Nanoparticles and also carbon nanotubes are introduced by a power ultrasound assisted process and dispersed homogeneously. The reinforcement increases high temperature strength and creep resistance significantly.
The use of Mg materials as implant materials opens up completely new options. Magnesium alloys already demonstrate strength properties that are more similar to those of bone than other metals. In addition, the magnesium materials can dissolve in the body, whereby the corrosion products can be regarded as harmless. These materials thus make it possible to manufacture implants which fulfill their function for a defined period but do not require a further operation for their removal.
Research focuses are:
- Alloy development
- Grain refinement of magnesium alloys
- High temperature stable magnesium alloys
- nanoscale reinforced magnesium alloys
- Castability and rheology of magnesium melt
- biodegradable magnesium alloys for medical application