WE43B (WE43B-T6, M18432) Magnesium
WE43B 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. WE43B is the ASTM designation for this material. M18432 is the UNS number.
It has a fairly high base cost among magnesium alloys. In addition, it has a very low thermal conductivity and a very low ductility.
The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare WE43B 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
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
44 GPa 6.4 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
2.2 %
Fatigue Strength
110 MPa 16 x 103 psi
Poisson's Ratio
0.29
Shear Modulus
17 GPa 2.5 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
140 MPa 21 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
250 MPa 36 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
200 MPa 28 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
330 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
180 °C 360 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
640 °C 1180 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
550 °C 1010 °F
Solidification (Pattern Maker's) Shrinkage
1.6 %
Specific Heat Capacity
960 J/kg-K 0.23 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
51 W/m-K 29 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
27 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
11 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
53 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
34 % relative
Density
1.9 g/cm3 120 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
28 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
250 MJ/kg 110 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
910 L/kg 110 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
5.2 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
430 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
13 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
61 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
36 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
46 points
Thermal Diffusivity
28 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
15 points
Alloy Composition
| Mg | 89.8 to 93.5 | |
| Y | 3.7 to 4.3 | |
| Zr | 0.4 to 1.0 | |
| Zn | 0 to 0.2 | |
| Li | 0 to 0.2 | |
| Mn | 0 to 0.030 | |
| Cu | 0 to 0.020 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.010 | |
| Ni | 0 to 0.0050 | |
| rare e. | 2.4 to 4.4 |
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
CRC Materials Science and Engineering Handbook, 4th ed., James F. Shackelford et al. (editors), 2015