In-situ observations of high cycle fatigue mechanisms in cast AM60B magnesium in vacuum and water vapor environments

Abstract We present in situ scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations regarding the formation and propagation of small fatigue cracks in cast AM60B magnesium. Using an environmental SEM, observations were made in vacuum and in the presence of water vapor at 20 Torr. In the vacuum environment, fatigue cracks in the magnesium formed preferentially at pores, sometimes precluded by observable cyclic slip accumulation. At higher cycle numbers in the vacuum environment, additional cracks were discovered to initiate at persistent slip bands within relatively large magnesium dendrite cells. The propagation behavior of small fatigue cracks (a 6–10 dendrite cells) was found to be Mode I-dominated in both environments.