Chapter 9: Stress-Corrosion Cracking of Magnesium Alloys^[1]

Stress-corrosion cracking (SCC) in magnesium alloys was first reported in the 1930s and, within ten years, became the focus of intense study. This chapter provides a summary of all known work published since then on the nature of SCC in magnesium alloys and how it is related to composition, microstructure, and heat treatment. It describes the types of environments where magnesium alloys are most susceptible to SCC and the effect of contributing factors such as temperature, strain rate, and applied and residual stresses. The chapter also discusses crack morphology and what it reveals, provides information on proposed cracking mechanisms, and presents a practical approach for preventing SCC.