Effects of intermetallic phases on electrochemical properties of powder metallurgy Mg-6%Al-5%Pb anode alloy used for seawater activated battery

The changes in intermetallic phases of Mg-6%Al-5%Pb (Mg-Al-Pb) alloy prepared by powder metallurgy and their effects on electrochemical properties were studied. Experimental results showed that coarse Mg17Al12 phases (with size ranges from 20 mu m to 70 mu m) and fine Mg2Pb phases (with the size of 100 nm scale) formed in the mixed Al, Pb and Mg powder during the hot press sintering procedure. Fine Mg2Pb phases exhibit strong diffusional ability to diffuse into Mg17Al12 phases. Extruding further promotes the diffusion of Mg2Pb phases into Mg17Al12 phases. Solution treatment produced a mixed microstructure which is Mg17Al12 phase containing Mg2Pb phases inside and made other Mg2Pb phases homogeneously distributed in Mg matrix. Mg17Al12 phases and the gathered Mg2Pb phases will accumulate the Mg(OH)(2) corrosion products, which impedes the subsequent discharge behavior. Homogeneously distributed Mg2Pb phases will fall off during discharge, which makes the discharge curve more stable. The mixed microstructure has positive effect on corrosion resistance and discharge potential. Therefore, solution-treated alloy shows the highest negative potential and the smoothest curve during the galvanostatic discharge test. Compared with the commercial AZ61 sheet, solution-treated alloy exhibit much higher anode properties in Mg/PbCl2 battery test. Thus, the solution-treated alloy could serve as an excellent anode in seawater-activated batteries.