Test specimens of various magnesium alloys common to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)
systems or proposed for use in DoD systems were identically prepared and exposed under bare uncoated
conditions in chamber based laboratory accelerated corrosion test methods to assess their relative
susceptibilities to general and pitting corrosion attack. The methods used were ASTM B 117 neutral
salt fog (NSF) and GM 9540P cyclic accelerated corrosion. The NSF specimens were compared at
intervals of 18, 72, and 168 hours. The GM 9540P specimens were assessed at 1, 5, and 10 cycle
intervals. The visual corrosion assessments were graphically obtained using flatbed scanning techniques.
Following the exposures, final mass loss measurements were obtained for all specimens.
Keywords: Corrosion, magnesium, alloys, ZE41B, AZ31B, AZ91C, WE43B, ZK60A, K1A, salt fog,
cyclic corrosion, GM 9540P