For decades, aluminium alloys forced a choice: the 5xxx family is easy to form but only moderately strong, while the 7xxx family is strong but difficult to process. The crossover concept, developed at Montanuniversität Leoben by the research group of Prof. Stefan Pogatscher, removes that trade-off. A tuned combination of magnesium, zinc and, in some variants, copper forms the T-phase, which lets the alloy be shaped while soft and then hardened to near-7xxx strength during the paint-bake cycle that car bodies already go through. After years of work in the Christian Doppler Laboratory for Advanced Aluminium Alloys with AMAG Austria Metall AG, the concept has grown from 100-gram laboratory samples to a commercial product: AMAG CrossAlloy®57.
For us at [X-MAT], this is a particularly proud moment. Our research showed that the T-phase is exceptionally tolerant of radiation, which first brought Leoben’s crossover alloys international attention as candidates for space. Few alloy families move from fundamental science to market within one research ecosystem, and fewer still serve lighter vehicles, higher recycled content and harsh radiation environments at once. Congratulations to Professor Stefan, the CD Laboratory team and our partners at AMAG.
https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.202070126
Read the full press release here: https://www.unileoben.ac.at/news/montanuni-entwickelt-aluminium-der-naechsten-generation/
The webpage of the new crossover alloys: https://www.amag-al4u.com/en/products/crossalloy
